


Rebus

by AnonEhouse



Series: Rebus 'verse [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Additional relationships not tagged- do not read if you only want Stony or Rocky fic, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Angst, Bond infidelity, Bonding, M/M, Marital cheating, Omega Tony Stark, Rare Pairings, Some Pairings left as surprises, Some readers hate the end so maybe you want to read the end note first, Some readers love the fic, Steve and Bucky are mean to Tony, Steve's hormones make him a stinker, Temporary Character Death, Tony has no pride when it comes to Steve, Tony puts up with it, Tony thinks it's all worth it in the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-22
Updated: 2013-04-30
Packaged: 2017-12-03 06:32:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 59,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/695275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rebus is a word puzzle. Steve minus Bucky plus Tony equals...?</p><p> </p><p>  <b>In this 'verse the ABO hormonal/reproductive imperatives warp all of the characters & give them different drives and perspectives than normal folks. That means they will sometimes do things that are unsympathetic, selfish, bitchy, or even wimpy by canon standards.</b></p><p> </p><p>An Alpha who's lost his bondmate loses everything. An Omega who's lost the ability to attract Alphas hasn't got much either. Nick Fury has better things to do with his time than patch up the broken people he needs for the Avenger Initiative, but maybe two broken people can serve as crutches for each other.</p><p>Anyway, he's got nothing to lose by pushing them together.</p><p>Rebus is dedicated to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier"> Blakefancier</a> without whom this fic would probably have ended at chapter 19. *HUGGLES YOU SO HARD*</p><p>A lot of people are unhappy with the ending of this fic. I am not going to rewrite it. If you wish to take a chance on hating the fic and being upset, read it. If you want to know the main thing that upset people, read the end note first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

"I'm sorry, sir," Steve said flatly, sounding like he really didn't care at all. "I can't join your Avenger Initiative."

"Why not, Captain Rogers? America needs you." Fury leaned close, giving Steve the full heat of his one-eyed glare. "The world needs you."

Steve shrugged and went back to idly pounding a punching bag. "I'm not Captain America any more. I wouldn't be any more use to you than any other big Alpha."

"That's nonsense. I've read the reports, seen the newsreels."

Steve gave Fury a twitch of his lips that couldn't be mistaken for a smile. "Did you hear who motivated me on my first mission? Who was at my side for all of them except the last?" Steve punched the bag a little harder.

"Your friend, Sergeant Barnes?" Fury said, with an expression of slowly dawning understanding.

"Yeah. My _friend_. Bucky was my Omega. He's dead. We were bonded in every way except officially. The government didn't allow bonded pairs on missions together. It was supposed to be too distracting."

"The law's been changed."

"Yeah. Too late for Bucky." Steve kept up a steady, emotionless, flurry of blows. "Would have been nice not to hide."

"And you're angry at the government's actions then and taking it out on us now?"

"I'm not angry. That's the point. You're a Beta, Mr. Fury, you just... have no idea. I'm the ultimate Alpha. All my instincts are to fight, to protect, to defend."

"That's what we want."

Steve stopped punching and looked at Fury fully. "Bucky died. I failed to protect him. He was damn near my perfect match, and with him gone... well, frankly, Mr. Fury, I don't care if the whole world burns, and me with it."

Fury frowned. "It's that bad."

"Yeah. You know, the only reason I haven't taken a long walk off a short pier? I don't actually care enough to end it."

"There are drugs to ease bond-loss."

"Drugs don't work on me."

"Isn't there anything we can do to get you back in the game?"

"Oh, sure. Bring Bucky back from the dead." Steve sat down on a bench and began unwrapping his hands.

"I'll... see what we can do about that."

"Sure." Steve didn't look up from his hands.

***

"You are fucking kidding me, right?" Fury looked at the dossier playing on his monitor.

"I wish I was, Director," Coulson said, with a sigh. "First we went through all the unbonded Omega agents, then all the unbonded Omegas who worked in any capacity at all for SHIELD, then we searched the databases of every allied covert organization, peacekeeping force, both military and civil, and that's the best match. Better, in fact, than Sergeant Barnes, according to the tests we've run on Captain America. The consultant is the only one both able to be of use on Avenger missions, and able to bond with Captain Rogers."

"Why couldn't you have been a match for the Captain, Coulson?"

Coulson sighed again. "Life's just unfair that way, sir."

"Don't get philosophical with me." Fury took a deep breath. "Fine. Fuck it. We need Rogers. We may even need him this badly."

***

"Wait? What? Now I'm good enough to be a member because you _think_ your defrosted super soldier needs a snuggle bunny in order to get it up? His morale, that is." Tony Stark shook his head. "You're not really selling me on the idea here. A permanent bond with a Neanderthal, literally, a man from the ice ages? I've got prospects!"

"Do you? Do you really?" Fury pushed another folder in front of Tony. "Agent Romanov says otherwise."

"What? That's..." Tony opened the folder and his jaw muscle jumped in anger. "This is bull."

"You damn near died of palladium poisoning. The damage done to certain organs is irreversible. Maybe someone wouldn't mind bonding with a sterile Omega, after all, people can adopt. But how many dates have you had since the poisoning? Your scent's changed. Even I can smell it, under all that expensive cologne. You can't attract anyone on the primal level any longer. You have to rely on your personality, god help you."

"What if I don't ever want to be bonded? Why should I? Why would I want to be saddled with a bossy Alpha interfering with how I live my life?"

"Because you're pretty fucking miserable, and Ms. Potts is dating your chauffeur and soon you won't even have a pretend relationship with her."

Tony's eyes narrowed. 

"Luckily for you, Captain Rogers is attracted to smart-mouth, arrogant, flashy brunets. And he even will like, after he gets used to the idea, your worse qualities."

"Or try to beat them out of me."

Fury shook his head. "I don't think even Captain Rogers could do that." Fury opened another folder, and slid across an eight-by-ten glossy of Steve, stripped to the waist, and pounding on a weight bag. "Here, little Omega, have some candy."

Tony glanced at the photo. "Still not buying it." But his pupils were dilated wide and dark with interest. "I'm not tying up my future on your say-so."

"You don't go into heat, so you don't have to worry about a permanent involuntary bonding. Get Captain Rogers back in the game, give him an interest in living, and when you manage to piss him off enough, he'll be glad to settle for a lesser match."

"And what do I get out of it?"

Fury tapped at the photo. "The perfect Alpha. Think of it. He's perfect all over, the doctors tell me. Are you gonna let that go without having a taste?"

Tony stared at the photo. He bit at his lower lip and then drew the photo closer. "You're lucky my old man taught me to be a patriot."

"Yeah, real lucky."

***

Tony sauntered into the gym and found a convenient place to watch Captain Rogers methodically pummel a heavy weight bag. He tilted his sunglasses down to enjoy the show.

"Why don't you buy a ticket?" Rogers grunted after a few minutes.

"Don't have to. I sneaked in under the tent flaps," Tony replied. "This is a pretty depressing place, isn't it?"

Rogers grunted and kept working the bag.

"I suppose that's why you chose it. I mean, if you're in a mood to feel like crap, you might as well find the perfect atmosphere to wallow in the self-pity. The smell of jock itch and Ben Gay, you can't beat that for a downer."

"Go away."

"Nope." Tony found a torn leather weight bench and dropped a clean-looking frayed white towel on it before he sat down. "Can't do that."

"Why can't you?" Steve finally stopped hitting the bag and turned to face Tony. He was barely breathing hard.

"Fury sent me." Tony grinned at Steve. "He thinks I'd be a good carrot to dangle before your ass. Or a stick. I'm not sure which."

"I bet you think you're funny."

"No, actually, I think I'm Tony Stark."

Steve paused in the act of turning back to the bag. "Any relation to Howard Stark?"

"His son."

Steve said, matter of factly, "Howard Stark was an arrogant little shit who didn't give a damn about anything except making himself look good."

Tony nodded. "See, we're already in perfect agreement. It's a match made in... well, not heaven. SHIELD filing cabinet, I suppose."

"What are you talking about?" Steve's expression showed a faint trace of irritation.

Tony hopped off the bench and came over to Steve, right up against his chest, and tilting his head to look into Steve's eyes. "Look, we're both fucked. I know it, and you know it. You can smell I'm a crappy Omega, and I can see you're a broken Alpha. Why don't we get together and make each other miserable, instead of screwing up two perfectly good people's lives?"

Steve put his hands on Tony's shoulders and squeezed. Not quite hard enough to hurt. Tony half closed his eyes and let his head fall back, exposing his throat. "This is Fury's idea of a joke? You're no Bucky."

"Fury is a manipulative bastard, but he hasn't got a sense of humor. I think it was surgically removed along with the eye." Tony relaxed further in Steve's grip, letting more of his weight lean against him. "I'm sterile, but I'm a fucking genius who's built a suit of flying battle armor I use to kick ass. It's awesome. I'm also one of the richest men on this planet, so when you get sick of me, you'll have a breakup settlement big enough to rent any whore you like. Hell, you could get them plastic surgery to look like your Bucky."

Steve pushed Tony away. Tony staggered a few steps before he caught his balance. "Well, hey, look at that! You're angry, aren't you, sweetcheeks!"

"Yes, I'm angry! How dare you! Do you think your money can buy everything?" Steve turned and hit the punching bag so hard it burst and flew across the room.

Tony grinned. "I think that's the first honest emotion you've shown since they thawed you out."

Steve frowned at Tony. "Yeah." His arms dropped to his sides. "So, that's your idea? Piss me off so I can fight for Fury?"

"Nah. That was just a trial balloon." Tony came back and put both hands against Steve's chest. "If I can get you angry, I can make you feel other things. Fury won't let me on his supersecret boy band without you, but together, we'd make a hell of a team. I figure once we prove ourselves in battle, it'll get easier and habit will take over from instinct. Once you can learn to draw on your full strength consciously, it won't matter how unsuited we are for each other, we can split up and still save the world. C'mon, saving the world is good. Gives you something to think about at night, beyond what a crap example of a human being you are... we are."

Steve stood there and stared at Tony. "Pretend to be bonded? Like one of those bedroom farces where no one actually takes their clothes off?"

"Well, I hope we fuck. We should get something out of the deal while it lasts. I'm damn good. Why shouldn't we get a little sugar?"

Steve brought his hands up to brush along the edges of Tony's goatee. "Do any of your lines actually work?"

"Hell, no, why else do you think I'm so desperate to get laid?" Tony grabbed Steve's hand and pressed it against his chest. "I'm a damn experiment, too. The only difference is, I fucked myself up trying to survive, not trying to become a soldier."

"Huh." Steve felt the hard outlines of some metal object. "Maybe we do deserve each other."


	2. STEVE

Steve wasn't about to tell Tony, but he was glad the Omega was sterile. It would save him awkward explanations later. Fury's doctors hadn't tested for everything, they just thought they had. Steve was no more likely to become a father than Tony a mother, although for an opposite reason. His sperm were _too_ active and just... well, ran out of steam... and died before they could fertilize an egg. He thought it was funny, in a morbid sort of way, that when he was too sickly to want to father a child who'd probably wind up an orphan-- yeah, he wouldn't wish his childhood on anyone-- he _could_ have, but not now.

Wouldn't that sound swell? Captain America fires blanks.

"All right." Steve considered the logistics. "Does it matter what it looks like? I mean, do I have to court you and make a home for you?"

"Uh, you were listening to the part where I said I was rich? Unbelievably, obscenely, wealthy is the way people usually describe me."

Steve shrugged. "I was thinking about your reputation."

"That's adorable. Out-dated, but adorable. No, these days it's quite common for pairs to have separate residences until they are sure they're a good enough match to be worth trying to share living quarters. And even then, we don't automatically move into the Alpha's place. People are more _flexible_ these days, old man."

"Yeah, I just bet you're flexible, Tony." Steve took a spiteful pleasure in the way Tony's eyes flashed at that. "I've got an apartment in Brooklyn. Where do you live?"

"Manhattan... well, when I'm in New York, I do."

"Uh huh." Steve went over to the destroyed weight bag and picked it up. "Mansions all around the world, yachts and that sort of thing, right?"

"Something like that. You know, you say that as if being successful is something to be ashamed of."

Steve carried the bag over to the side of the room. "Depends on what you do to make the money. Got a pen on you?" That stung, he was sure of it. Tony was ridiculously easy to read.

"Here." 

"Thanks." Steve took the pen and wrote, "IOU, Steve Rogers" on the bag, and then handed the pen back. "Good pen. Writes nice. My place is closer. Do you wanna go there and fuck?" He liked the way Tony's eyes widened and went darker. He was pretty, even though he was kinda old. Not quite mutton dressed as lamb, at least he had on a decently respectable suit. Wearing sunglasses indoors was tacky, though.

"Sure," Tony said lightly, "Try before you buy. It's the American way."

***

Just to tick Tony off a little more, Steve refused the use of his limo. "It's only fifteen blocks." He didn't mention that they were Avenue blocks, ten to the mile in this part of the city. "What kind of a kickass are you, if you can't hack that?" And then he set off at a good pace, stretching his legs and pretending not to notice how angry Tony looked as he had to hurry to keep up, his legs just short enough that he couldn't comfortably walk to match Steve's strides. It felt good, that spiteful heat in his belly. If anger was all he could feel, well fine, it was better than the wrapped up in damp grey wool non-feeling he'd had ever since he lost Bucky. He could function like this. He could be useful. And he could take Tony Stark down a peg or two at the same time. 

It's not that Steve felt that Omegas couldn't be anything outside of bonds, but nature made them... you know... not Alpha... for a reason, and it was unnatural for an Omega to be arrogant. Bucky had been feisty, sure, and brave as a lion, but he knew his place. His place wasn't at Steve's side, but a couple steps behind. Steve had felt good, knowing that Bucky had his back but that he'd face any danger first. Not Tony, oh, no, Tony was huffing along determined to stay even with Steve. Arrogant little shit.

***

Steve charged up the steps to his third floor apartment, ignoring the elevator. Tony followed him. He was wheezing a bit, but still game. Steve gave him a point for that. He opened the door to his apartment and tossed the keys on the vestibule table. "You want a drink or something?" he said when Tony came in, looking a whole lot pinker in the face than he had in the gym. He did feel a little guilty, pressing an Omega that way. But it was Tony's own fault, all he had to do was ask Steve to slow down.

"Yeah." Tony took off his sunglasses and looked around Steve's apartment. He didn't make any comments, which was pretty smart of him, because Steve had a whole bunch of answers ready for any wisecracks. Yeah, the place was bare, and drab, and about as homelike as an army barracks, but this wasn't home. Nothing was home, that was gone, long gone. This is just a place to sleep and to cook a meal when he didn't feel like eating out. "Whatever you have," Tony said.

That was a proper, although a bit curt, Omega response, but Steve got the feeling Tony meant that he figured all Steve had was tap water. He opened the cabinet above the fridge and took down the bottle of whisky he'd bought because it had been Bucky's favorite, when they could afford it. "This do you?" 

Tony nodded and didn't make any complaint when Steve fixed him a Scotch and club soda without asking how he wanted it. He handed Tony the glass and let his fingers brush over Tony's hand. "I don't know how people do things these days, but in my place, we do things my way."

Tony looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he took a couple swallows of the drink and then nodded, silently. His pupils were blown wide, showing Steve that even though he didn't smell right, at least he responded properly to an Alpha's rule.

"Stay put." Steve went into the bedroom and changed the linens, not that they were dirty and not that he cared that they weren't even cotton but some kind of... he didn't know...stuff made from petroleum... and yeah, Tony probably slept on silk and satin... but you know, it was just what you did. You took an Omega home and you gave them the courtesy of sheets that didn't smell like anyone else. There wasn't much Steve could hold onto from the past, but he could do that much, at least.

"Cozy."

Steve looked up. Tony was standing in the bedroom doorway, drink in hand. He swirled the glass so the ice tinkled, and it just pissed Steve off beyond words. Drinking Bucky's liquor, taking Bucky's place. "I told you to stay put." 

"You don't own..."

Steve reached Tony before he finished speaking, grabbed the glass out of Tony's hand and threw it to shatter against the far wall. "Maybe you think it's fun, getting me angry. Maybe you like it rough. Is that it, Tony?" Steve reached out and saw the tiny flinch as he brought his hand down with calculated gentleness to stroke Tony's cheek, feeling freshly shaved smoothness and the brush of that outrageous goatee in alternation. 

Tony swallowed. He could feel the movement against his hand. "Maybe."

"Good." Steve smiled a wolfish grin. "Because I'm in a rough mood. How tough are you, Tony? How much can you take?"

"Everything you've got, Cap."

Steve knew he reeked of anger. Most Omegas would have gone to their knees by now, eager to please, to appease, to soothe the Alpha before he totally lost control. "I could break you."

Tony tilted his head. "Not where it matters, Rogers. The rest... it's all a game. You, me, Fury, everyone. It doesn't matter. Everything's fucked up. You want to beat me up? The world got there first. And I didn't let it win."

Steve growled and pulled Tony close. "You talk too much."

"It's been..." 

Steve cut him off with a kiss, hard and demanding. And the little fucker practically melted in his arms. He lifted his head to look into Tony's eyes. Yeah, he was gone. "How long has it been? Since you were last fucked?"

"Too long," Tony muttered. Steve could see him trying to make that sound resentful, but it came out more like a needy whine.

Steve moved away, and Tony leaned towards him, catching his balance at the last moment. "Take your clothes off, Tony. And be neat."

Tony nodded. "Do I have to call you sir?"

"Nah." It'd be more fun to let Tony break himself. Steve started undressing, the same as he did every night, only of course, this was the middle of the afternoon. "You can call me whatever you want." He made a wager with himself that he'd have Tony in tears before he was done. A needy Omega was cake, no matter how much they tried to hide it.


	3. TONY

Fury wasn't wrong about Tony's lack of pheromonal attraction. But he sure was about Rogers being attracted to Tony's personality. Rogers' 'Bucky' must have been a doormat, the kind who read magazine articles for tips about making a home for the lord of the manor Alpha. Probably apologized and tip-toed around whenever Rogers was in a bad mood. If Bucky was here in Tony's place he'd be crawling to appease Rogers.

Tony was a lot of things, but never a fucking doormat. Still, for the sake of sex, he could go along with some of the outward forms of outdated Alpha sensibility. Call it pillow talk, whatever it took to get Rogers' head on the pillow. It didn't mean anything that he undressed and folded his clothes and put them in a tidy pile on a chair. By the time he was done, Rogers was naked and looking him over, with a scowl on his face.

"What?" Tony resisted the impulse to cover himself, to hide his arousal. 

"That." Rogers pointed at the arc reactor. "You did that to yourself?"

"I had help." It was really, really difficult keeping his hands away. At least Rogers wasn't looking at it with greed. "No, actually, I thought it would be a cool fashion statement. You know, anyone can get a Prince Albert, but this baby is one of a kind." And then Rogers came over to him and put his hand on the reactor. Lightly. Not pushing. God, no, and not twisting, or prying, but still, Tony was breathing too fast and fuck, but his cock was responding as if he _liked_ that. Stupid thing couldn't tell the difference between barely controlled panic and excitement. 

"Huh. Does it hurt?"

Tony really didn't know how to answer that. The truth was that most of the time he could forget about the constant dragging weight and dull ache by keeping his mind occupied, but some days the bastard just wanted to remind him what pain was like. Like right now, when talking about it made it impossible to ignore. He didn't want to turn Rogers off by admitting that, but neither did he want to lie and say it was fine, only to have Rogers playfully slap him there and... yeah. He'd freak out, he knew he would. "Sometimes. It's better if there's no pressure on it." 

"You made me press on it in the gym," Rogers said. "Are you a masochist?"

It was a reasonable question under the circumstances, but the way Rogers asked it was almost clinical. "No. I just... rough is good, but I'm not into pain-play."

Rogers nodded and moved his hand away. Before Tony could breathe a sigh of relief though, those big hands were skimming over the rest of his chest. "How about here?" He palmed Tony's nipples and rubbed them.

"Yeah." Tony drew in a quick breath. "That's fine. What are you doing?"

"Reconnaissance. I don't go into enemy territory without a plan, Tony."

"Enemy territory... that's the first time I've heard my ass called that." It was becoming a little difficult to breathe, with super soldier pheromones right up his nose. He was not, fucking not, going to fall to his knees and beg for Rogers' cock like a porn-vid Omega slut. 

"So, you're sterile. What's that mean?"

Tony knew the look he gave Rogers was totally out of line, but come on, that was just..."What it usually means. The only way I'm going to carry on the Stark line is if I adopt." If any agency would be willing to overlook Tony's numerous character flaws-- and speaking as a realist, considering how much money Tony had, yeah, he could adopt. Hire someone to handle the day to day details until the sprog was old enough to be interesting. Or better still, adopt a kid old enough to know what he or she was getting into. Fewer regrets later. Not a bad plan. Might make the Board a little less irked with Tony- just because it was _legal_ for an Omega to own a business didn't mean they liked it. They'd been furious when they discovered Howard had neglected to name a substitute heir, and had opted for the lesser restriction of Stane as guardian until Tony was of legal age. About the only thing the old man had done for Tony, and he suspected it was simply because he wanted his name to stay on the business.

"That's not what I meant."

And damn, Rogers was giving him a _patient_ look, as if he was the idiot here. "Look, can we just fuck and get it over with and then shove it up Fury's nose? I didn't mean it that way, that's a disgusting thought."

"I don't smell any slick." Rogers ran his hand down Tony's back and between his ass cheeks. "Is it always like that?" He teased a finger at Tony's hole, and Tony spread instinctively. "What about when you're in heat?"

Tony opened his mouth for more air. Big mistake. It gave him such a rush, gulping down that thick musky Alpha scent, that his head spun. He locked his knees. He was not going to fold up, whimpering, at Rogers' feet. "I don't... can't go into true heat. Urges, yes, but...not everything works. I don't release slick, for one thing."

"Well, that's going to be a problem, then." Steve took his hands off Tony and stepped back. Tony swayed forward, and almost followed him. "I don't have any lubricant. Don't have any French letters, either, but that doesn't matter. Germs can't live in my body."

"I could... suck you." He really wanted to get fucked, but at this point giving Rogers a blow job sounded damn good to him. He licked his lips and tried not to stare at Roger's groin. How the Alpha could stay so cool with his dick pointing straight up and bouncing against his abs was a miracle. Well, that's what they were aiming for with the super soldier program, wasn't it? Alphas with strength _and_ cool control of it, under all circumstances.

"Ok." Rogers sounded bored. "If that's the best you can do."

Damn if he was going to accept a pity fuck from anyone, even Captain Super Alpha. He glared at Rogers, who stared back at him. "I don't have any slick, but I have something else."

"What? Are you going to call for room service? This isn't a fancy hotel, they don't deliver."

"No." Tony kept his eyes locked on Rogers'. He'd done this so many times he didn't need to look. He put his hand on the arc reactor, letting the casing read his biosignature, and then he turned it. The _click_ of the release was loud, but not loud enough to cover Rogers' gasp of shock. "Reach in. Go on. Hurry up. I can't leave it out too long." He made a face. "Cardiac arrest. Unless necrophilia is your thing?"

Rogers extended his hand, slowly. 

"You can't get it all the way in. One of the disadvantages of being a big guy. Normally I wouldn't complain, but the clock is ticking, you know?" Tony didn't really feel the change yet, but he imagined it. It was... unpleasant, to say the least, having Rogers put his fingers in as far as they would go. "Good, scrape around in there. And don't worry, it's an inorganic plasmic discharge from the reactor, not from me. It's totally sterile, slippery, fantastic stuff. I'd market it, but you know, 'Tony Stark's Ooze' probably isn't going to replace K-Y Jelly. Brand loyalty, it's a thing."

The hand came out with the fingers coated in slime. Rogers was pale, possibly even a bit green. Tony would have enjoyed the sight, but the reaction of what he'd just done made him feel rather sick, too. He put the reactor back, and grinned brightly at Rogers. "So, we're good to go!"

"Yeah." Rogers sounded hoarse. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Get on the bed on your hands and knees."

"Traditionalist. I would have never guessed." Tony positioned himself on the bed in a four-square braced position. He spread his legs and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"No, you're not."

"I'm as ready as I get, Rogers. Deal with it." It burned that Rogers could smell his faults. The more aroused he got, the more obvious it was. Normal Omegas don't smell like coconut oil and copper pennies in the sun.

"I am dealing with it." Now Rogers sounded like the soldier again, all resolute and firm. He started applying the 'ooze' to Tony's hole. "I'm going to fuck you, Tony. And I'm going to knot you, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of hurting you."

"Fine. Whatever." Tony closed his eyes, and tried to relax. It felt good. It was going to be good. Did it really matter that Rogers hated his guts? Nah. Tony was a big boy, he didn't need flowers and compliments. He just wanted Rogers' big dick. Pity it wouldn't work without the Rogers attachment. Design flaw, there.


	4. STEVE

The ooze smelled _awful_ , but it hadn't felt bad when he greased his dick with it, and from Tony's reaction, it was fine internally. Which made sense because it had been inside Tony before...

This was so wrong. Everything he'd ever been taught screamed at him how wrong it was. He was so angry at Tony... at the world... at Bucky for dying, at himself for living, but most of all he was angry that being angry had aroused him. It was sick, it was perverted-- the thought of fucking an Omega who couldn't slick up made his stomach cramp in self-disgust, but did nothing to soften his erection. And Tony was _maimed_ , that shouldn't be erotic. Dear God, Steve had always thought he was a normal sort of guy, with normal desires, even though he was physically a mess. Had this been hiding in him somewhere, deep down, the urge to hurt, to take advantage... had he always secretly been _jealous_ of bullies, of their freedom to act on their impulses? 

Did Tony know? Did Fury? Had they manipulated him by giving in to his sick desires? He knew he was only a blunt and useless tool to Fury. Did he want to allow them to give him an edge honed by cruelty?

He wanted to stop, to tell Tony to get dressed and get out... but that would be cruel, too. No decent, normal Alpha would want him. And he did want Tony. If he was being entirely honest, he wasn't sure he _could_ tell Tony to go. He had never wanted so badly before, not even with Bucky. "Hold still," he said harshly as he worked three fingers in deep, even though Tony wasn't moving all that much.

"Am I allowed to breathe?"

Steve slapped Tony on the ass, the way he would have done if Bucky had sassed him. "Be good." Tony whined something that wasn't words, so Steve let it go. "You really do have a pretty ass, Tony." He pulled his fingers out, and rubbed his dick between Tony's ass cheeks. "Nice."

Tony made a few more noises before lowering his head to lay on the bed between his forearms. 

"That's... a dirty trick," Steve said. The angle made Tony look so vulnerable that all Steve's dormant protective instincts reared up, twisted into an urge to claim sole possession. He growled. "You're mine. I can do anything I want to you." Tony shivered, but didn't say anything. "Anything at all." Steve bent down to set his teeth into the soft meat of buttocks, pressing in hard enough to indent, and licked at the small ridge of trapped flesh until Tony finally gave in.

"Yours!" Tony gasped. "Do... it. Whatever. Anything. Please."

Steve licked once more and then opened his mouth and moved back to admire the two dark red arcs against pale skin. "I will. I promised I was going to knot you, didn't I?" Tony's head shifted in what Steve chose to take as a nod. He squeezed the back of Tony's neck once, in warning, before he set the tip of his dick against Tony's opening and pushed in, forcing himself to go slow. He was going to prove to himself that he could still control, that he wasn't going to rut like a crazed animal, wasn't going to. No.

Then Tony whined and pushed back, taking Steve in almost to his half-swollen knot. "Dammit, Tony!" Steve was thrusting without thought, and it felt so good, and the noises Tony made fired him up even more and fuck, fuck, he fought the wild surge in his blood and slowed down again. He reached under and grabbed Tony's cock. "I told you to be good! I'm going... to take care of you. Gotta do it _right_."

Steve set his teeth in his lower lip and bit until the blood flowed. Pain was good. Pain was centering. He stroked the hot handful of cock until he was satisfied that Tony was in no condition to think at all, let alone take charge. "That's better." He grunted and concentrated on his Omega, pushing his own pleasure to one side. It was good, yes, but it was even better when his Omega was following his lead, not fighting him. He put one hand down on the bed, pressing his arm against Tony to remind him how strong he was, how Tony didn't need to fight, not him. Fight the world, but not him. 

Tony was being good, so good, so sweet and hot and delicious. He leaned down to lick and nip at his Omega's back. The taste of Tony's sweat was bittersweet, but the more he licked, the less he minded. His Omega. It was good that he smelled so different from the others. It would be easier to find him, to protect him. No one was going to take his Omega away again. He growled at the thought of the Red Skull and thrust harder. Tony cried out, something wordless, sharp and high, and the hand Steve had around his cock was spattered with warmth. The wrong smell/right smell/his Omega smell was even stronger. He brought his hand back to his mouth and licked every drop clean, taking it into himself where it would be safe.

"So good. All mine. No one else touches you. You hear me?" The taste triggered a deeper need. He had to breed his Omega. It didn't matter that they were both broken and sterile, they _had_ to try. "Give it to me." He bit at Tony's neck, sharp, fast pinches to wake him. "Don't sleep. Not done. Give it to me." Tony's breathing had been slowing after his orgasm, he'd been all but collapsed, but now he shuddered and arched his back, hard and tight. "Perfect. So good. That's so good." 

He took a firm grip on Tony's hips and drove in hard and sudden, forcing his knot all the way in against the involuntary resistance of a long-unknotted hole. His orgasm blasted out of him and he cursed something he'd never understood in French, but it had sounded so dirty he'd memorized it. He went on for a long time, much longer than usual; he guessed he was making up for all those years on the ice. Finally he fell forward, driving Tony down flat on the bed beneath him, where he could cover him completely.

A few minutes later, the blissful feeling was interrupted by a nagging sense that something wasn't right. "Tony?"

"Uh. A little... hard... to breathe, here, Cap."

"Fuck. Sorry." Steve sometimes forgot how big he was now, and Tony was even a little shorter than Bucky had been. Stronger in the chest, but... his chest... "Oh, yeah." He put his arms around Tony and turned him, turned with him, carefully, remembering all the horror stories Bucky had told him in the orphanage about big-dicked Alphas ripping up their Omegas. Bucky always liked to tease, but it was years later before he learned they were just stories, like the one about eating pickles and drinking milk killing a fella. But Steve _was_ very big, and Tony _wasn't_ in good health, so he could hurt him, maybe even suffocate him. He got them on their sides, but noticed that while Tony was breathing easier, he still was a whole lot more tense than a happily-knotted Omega should be. "Hold on, I've got an idea." He rolled onto his back, with Tony resting against his chest. It was unnatural, he should be covering his Omega, protecting him. He appeased his instincts by grabbing the crumpled duvet to cover them and then locked his arms around Tony's waist. "Is that ok?"

"Huh. Yeah. Better." Tony turned his head slightly and let his cheek rest against Steve's chest. The scratch of the goatee and the warm damp breath felt good. Steve petted Tony's hair and looked up at the ceiling and then down along the line of Tony's belly under the duvet to the door of the bedroom. Tony fit perfectly. He could watch and guard like this until the knotting was completed in a half hour or so and he could slip out.

"Go to sleep."

"Yeah." 

He liked the pressure and the warmth. A little of the ice in his bones had melted. A little. As his blood slowed, he began to think again. He didn't remember ever being quite so... it was different... not a bad different, but he didn't trust it. He'd been asleep and they'd played games with his mind when he woke, maybe they'd played games with his body while he slept? Why should he respond so much more strongly to Tony than he had to Bucky? He didn't...couldn't... think that Tony was in on it. No, there were some things an Omega couldn't fake. And anyway, Fury hadn't even known about Bucky and the broken bond, so they wouldn't have had any reason to mess with his hormones or whatever they called it these days.

Probably it was just what happens when you've got a broken bond and lost your world. You cling to whatever you can. Even if it's a broken Omega with bad manners. Bucky wouldn't mind Steve finding something to make the loneliness less. 

Tony was warm, and he was alive, and he needed Steve. That was all it was. No point in getting sentimental about it. Tony wanted to be fucked. Steve wanted something to be his, something to hold and protect. They could do this. A simple, fair trade. They'd both get their basic needs met, and, like Tony had said, they wouldn't be messing up the lives of two normal people. Yeah. And they could do good for other people. That'd work. 

He continued stroking Tony's hair and rubbing his belly. It was good to be knot-deep inside someone who wasn't afraid of him, even if Tony wasn't afraid because he didn't have the common sense God gave a goose. Bucky had been reckless, too. Steve's arms tightened around Tony until he heard a sleepy protest. He wouldn't have to worry about Tony. Didn't he have a suit of flying battle armor? Good idea. If he could fly, Steve would never have to watch him fall.


	5. TONY

He woke up the way he did all too often, with a jerk and a gasp, reaching for his chest. He was never sure whether he was reaching to make sure the reactor was still there, or to try to pry it loose. Touching it always brought him wide awake before he could... if he was going to.

"Take it easy, Tony."

Tony rolled his head in the direction of the voice. Rogers was sitting in a chair beside the bed, fully dressed, hair neatly combed and still damp from the shower he must have taken. "Wow, you must have been in a hurry to get my stink off of you." Tony sat up cautiously, pushing aside the duvet, and winced as stiff muscles reminded him what they'd done. First time he'd been knotted in years and he had to sleep through the after cuddle. Disappointment made him snappish, and then he felt guilty when he saw Rogers' faint smile fade.

"You were uncomfortable." Rogers made a gesture toward his own chest. "I'm not exactly a sofa cushion."

"Yeah. Got it. Bad joke. Sorry." Gingerly, Tony stretched. He tried not to notice how Rogers' eyes followed every move. "So, do we have a deal?" He tried not to sound hopeful but it had been really, really good. He'd given up control a lot easier than usual, and Steve ... _Rogers_... hadn't taken excessive advantage of that. Just sex, no psychological bullshit like some Alphas liked to try on him. A little possessive, but eh, Alpha pillow talk. Can't count that against the guy.

Steve nodded. "Yeah. You get your shower and we'll go talk to Fury."

Tony was halfway out of the bed before he realized that Steve had given him an order and he'd obeyed without thinking about it. That shit was not going to fly.

"Tony? Do you need help?" Steve was hovering at his side, hand outstretched but not quite touching Tony's arm. Steve looked awkward and worried, and... it was actually, disgustingly endearing.

"Nah. I'm fine, just... getting my land legs. You do realize that I'm not a delicate virgin, Rogers? You don't need to coddle me."

Steve's expression firmed. "Not coddle, but I need to know you're all right. I _need_ that, Tony. It's not going to work if you don't allow me to be your Alpha the way I see it."

"Huh." Alpha hyper-protectiveness was like an appendix, Tony had always thought. Useless biological leftover that caused trouble when it acted up. "You want to open doors for me and approve the wine at dinner, too?"

"Don't be an ass," Steve snapped and moved away from Tony. "You came to me, remember? You wanted sex, and you wanted to be on Fury's team. Well, I'm offering to meet you halfway. You can be as much of a brat as you like, but when it comes to your safety, your health, your well-being, you will listen to me!"

Tony grinned. "Oh, this is going to be fun. What are you going to do in battle? Tell me to sit by the side and cheer you on?" He could see the muscles work in Steve's throat as he swallowed.

"No. But when I give you an order as your commander in the field, you will _obey_ it! Just like any other soldier!"

"I'm not a soldier." Tony lifted his chin and glared at Steve.

"Tony..." Steve came close and put his hand on Tony's neck, rubbing gently. 

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to ease some of that stiff-necked pride of yours. Look, it's not demeaning to have someone care about you. It doesn't make you less of a man to listen to me when I know more about battle than you do. If we're going to form a team, everyone on it is going to have to obey me in the field. It's got nothing to do with you being my Omega."

"Nothing?" Tony tilted his head to stare into Steve's eyes.

"Maybe a little," Steve admitted. "I'm an old-fashioned guy, you know." His eyes were soft and his hand was warm. Tony shrugged but didn't dislodge it. Then Steve slapped him on the ass.

"Ow!" Tony jumped. "What was that for?"

"A reminder that if you don't get your pretty ass in the shower I'm going to think you're ready for another round."

Tony really didn't think he would, but... Steve was smiling. He was feeling something other than anger, and it would be only sensible to encourage it. "All right, all right..." He picked up his pile of clothes and left the bedroom. He could almost feel Steve staring at his ass. He smirked a little, just a little, to himself.

***

The hot water helped ease the stiffness in his back and other places. He could have had Rogers massage him; bathe him, do all the little pampering his Alpha heart desired. He wanted it, oh yes, he did. But it was too dangerous a mind-set to get into, depending on Rogers, trusting him. And where would he be when Rogers got over his bond-loss and found some pretty and agreeable young thing able to give him children? No, he had to stay independent. This wasn't for life- this wasn't even for very long.

He cut the shower short, and dried and dressed quickly. His suit was rumpled. Even neat folding left marks. He brushed it down as best he could and then shrugged and deliberately ruffled his hair into untidy spikes. If you're gonna do the walk of shame, do it with style. He straightened his back and slipped on his sunglasses before he strutted out of the bathroom. "Right. Let's get this show on the road. They did say that back in the day, didn't they?"

Steve looked amused more than annoyed, which was so wrong. "Yeah, they did. C'mon, I've got the elevator on hold."

"Elevator, too? You're spoiling me."

"I didn't know. About... your chest. I didn't know how bad it was." Now Steve looked ashamed.

"Don't give me puppydog eyes, it's ridiculous on a man your size." Tony tapped on the reactor. "It looks worse than it is. I'm fine. Totally fine."

"Sure. I know." 

But Steve still led the way to the elevator, and there was a taxi waiting for them at the curb. "If you're going to open the door for me, I may kick up my maidenly heels and scream," Tony said in warning. Steve had the nerve to grin at him. 

"You're cute, Tony," Steve said. And then he opened the door and held it, a glint in his eyes daring Tony.

Tony got in the cab, fuming. He crossed his arms over his chest and didn't say another word until they reached their destination and Steve leaned forward with a smug look on his face for the door handle.

"Bully," Tony said softly. Steve flinched back.

"You don't have to prove you can hurt me, Tony. I knew that all along." Steve opened the door on his side and got out, shutting it carefully and going around to pay the driver.

Tony sat there for a little too long. Then he sighed and got out of the taxi. He watched it go and then turned to look at Steve. He took off his sunglasses. "Sorry."

"No, you're not." Steve gave him a smile as false as any of Tony's publicity shots and gestured towards the door of the building. "Let's go tell Fury what a happy family we are."


	6. FURY

Fury let them stew for a while after Coulson announced their arrival. He liked people to be on edge, it made them easier to read and saved him time. He put aside his work when Coulson cleared his throat.

"Well, gentlemen?" Fury said as he strode into the large, nearly bare, room and seated himself at his temporary desk, slapping his hand down on the folder Stark was reaching for. As ever, Coulson's sense of timing was perfect. Stark was sitting in one of the two chairs on the opposite side of the desk. Rogers was standing at a distance, which at first glance would bode ill for the success of bonding, but the way Rogers snapped to attention and took a long pace forward when Fury hit the folder told a different story. Protectiveness- possessiveness... he didn't care which nerve he'd struck, it was the reflexes he was after.

"Are you two going to be useful to me or am I gonna shop elsewhere?"

Stark bristled, probably at the implication that he could be easily replaced. It wasn't true, but then, Fury didn't want a loose cannon Omega with a chip on his iron shoulders and no impulse control. If Rogers could put a leash on him, then Iron Man would be invaluable. Otherwise he'd be more trouble than he was worth.

"You couldn't afford me," Stark snapped, and he put his hands on the desk and started to get up. Rogers laid a hand on his shoulder. It didn't look as if he'd applied any pressure, but Stark huffed and sat down, still twitching slightly. High-strung Omegas. Fury was glad he was a Beta and didn't have to deal with that on a personal level.

"We'll make a good team," Rogers said. Fury saw his fingers move slightly, and Stark subsided.

"You sure of that? I don't need any soap opera drama in my life. I've got bigger problems than you in the southwest region." Rogers was a tactician, he'd have noticed the boards with the marked locations. And he'd enough experience with the military to realize they'd been left for him to see.

"You've got a lot of irons in the fire, yeah." Rogers shrugged without taking his hand off of Stark. "We can take the heat." He met Fury's eyes and there was something there behind the blue. Anger, maybe. Better that than depression. Anger could be focussed, harnessed, put to use.

"Maybe. And maybe you'll become just another problem. I'm a busy man. I don't coddle or explain or accept excuses. I give you a job, you do it." He was pushing Stark's buttons, because he didn't know what Rogers' were- well, a few, but mostly those were grenade pin type buttons, and would be overkill for this meeting where his goal was simply to establish the pecking order with himself on top. Beta-bitchiness existed for a reason. Sometimes you needed to hit the extreme sexes over the head with a two-by-four before they noticed a Beta in authority.

Stark opened his mouth, but Rogers spoke first. "We can do the job."

Fury let a moment of silence go by, and he was mildly impressed that Stark still hadn't made any protest. "All right." He spun the folder around and opened it, and began a pretense of reading it. "You'll be contacted when we need you."

Rogers cleared his throat. Fury looked up. For the first time, Rogers looked unsure of himself. "I probably won't be at the apartment."

"Oh?"

Rogers shrugged. "I'm thinking to move to Manhattan."

And there it was, another Alpha being led around by the knot. Stark looked down, trying to hide a smile, Fury would bet anything. 

"I know a place," Stark said. "Rent controlled. Great location. All amenities thrown in."

"All?" Rogers said, and now there was a faint hint of amusement in his voice, and be damned if his thumb wasn't moving slightly on Stark's shoulder. For an Alpha of his era that was practically a PDA.

"Hot and cold running everything, baby. Emphasis on the hot." And then, Stark lowered his head and bit at his lip in a picture-perfect adorable Omega pose, looking through his eyelashes, no less. Rogers was going to be cooing all over him in a moment. The sweetness was making Fury gag.

Fury cleared his throat. "Take it outside, this is not the place."

"You should run a dating service, Fury," Stark said as he got up. "You're so sensitive and understanding."

Fury grunted and waved his hand at them. "Get out of here."

***

Coulson came in after they left. "Looks good, boss."

"Maybe." Fury sighed. "I just can't figure out which one of them is going to be in charge."

"Stark won't try to lead the team," Coulson said with assurance. 

"I meant off-duty. Stark hasn't got the faintest idea what a team _is_." Fury gathered up the folders and handed them to Coulson, all except one, which he opened and read from, " 'Classic narcissist, the fanatic type as defined in Millon's variations. An individual whose self-esteem was severely arrested during childhood, usually with major paranoid tendencies. These people are fighting delusions of insignificance and are trying to re-establish their self-esteem through grandiose fantasies and self-reinforcement. If unable to gain recognition or support from others, they take on the role of a heroic or worshipped person with a grandiose mission.' Wonderful. I shoulda kicked Howard in the ass. I knew he was screwing up that boy."

"Look at it this way, boss. No sane person would want the job."

Fury nodded. "You and I are the only non-wackos in SHIELD, Phil. And sometimes I'm not too sure about you." Coulson had to be a little nuts to put up with him, and still be able to smile. Fury walked out of the room, with Coulson behind him.


	7. STEVE

This time Steve let Tony open the door of the 'warehouse' and go on ahead. Actually, now that he thought about it, if Tony was ahead of him, he could be sure he wasn't getting lost or falling behind. It was much safer that way.

Tony looked around after a few steps. "That went well, don't you think?" Tony shoved his hands in his pockets and lifted his chin as he pivoted, and for a moment all Steve could concentrate on was the curve leading to the small of his back, even hidden by the silvery suit he was wearing.

"What?" Really, Tony was very beautiful, not that it would do to tell him so. He already had an ego a mile high.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Get with the program, soldier. Good job tossing that cohabitation bone to the old wolf. So... you meant it?"

"Yeah." Tony grinned smugly, so Steve added, "It'd be good for the team. You know, the one Fury's putting together. We couldn't hold meetings in my apartment. Your place is big enough, right?"

"Yeah." 

Steve felt bad at the way Tony deflated, but he just couldn't stop himself, poking and prying, trying to get below Tony's public flash to see what he was really feeling. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Nah." Tony shrugged, and put his sunglasses back on along with his smirk. "My place is big enough. You won't have to rub elbows with me all day long, if that's what was worrying you."

"I wouldn't mind..." Steve protested but it was too late.

Tony grinned at him, all shiny white teeth. "I'll give you a whole floor all to yourself, and a private elevator for whenever, you know, urges. Really, it's a great idea. I wasn't looking forward to Brooklyn booty calls." He pointed at Steve. "Very considerate and generous of you." Then he whirled and waved at the street. "Taxi!"

Steve stared helplessly at Tony's back. Why had he done that, stomped on Tony's moment of enthusiasm? He'd never felt the need to pull such rotten tricks on Bucky.

***

Steve expected Tony to sulk in silence, like he had on the way up, but instead Tony started talking the moment they got in the cab. "Stark Tower, driver. Two hundred Park Avenue."

"I know where it is, Mr. Stark," the cabbie said. "I drove you home after a party one time." His grin was visible in the mirror.

Steve had to resist the impulse to growl at the driver. He was visualizing Tony drunk and being taken advantage of by several beautiful people. His nostrils flared as he tried to pick up Tony's scent, old as it would have been.

Tony glanced at him, but spoke to the driver. "I was alone. I'm surprised you remember me."

"I always remember the big tippers, Mr. Stark."

"See how quick you can get us there, and there'll be an even bigger one." Tony smiled and leaned against Steve, all doe-eyed despite the stiffness of the muscle he felt against his shoulder. "We're newly bonded." He picked up Steve's hand and played with his fingers. It was hideously embarrassing, and Steve felt the warmth of a blush rise in his cheeks.

"Congratulations," the driver said.

Tony leaned even closer to press dry lips against Steve's cheek and whisper in his ear. "Play up. This guy might be working for Fury, verifying our story."

Steve was startled by how easy it was to go along with Tony's suggestion. He'd never... he and Bucky had always been discreet. They never even held hands where anyone could see. But he turned to catch Tony's mouth in a kiss and made it a real one, wet and with tongue, not a polite buss. He was gratified that Tony melted against him, eyes closed and trusting Steve's arms around him as he pulled Tony half across his lap and pulled up his suit jacket to stroke a hand over the tight swell of Tony's ass. Maybe Tony didn't like him, but he sure loved being touched.

Tony made lovely little noises when Steve petted him. They made him feel warm and strong and a whole lot less like minding that Tony was a brat. He liked Tony's ridiculously fluffy spiked hair, and his absurdly clipped beard and his spicy wrong smell. He didn't like Tony's sunglasses, though. He pulled them off and set them on the seat beside him. "Look at me, Tony," he whispered.

Tony opened his eyes. The softness faded for an instant and Steve caught a glint of steel. Steve told himself he was glad for the honesty of that glimpse, but he regretted asking for it. "I'm sorry, too," he said, and kissed Tony again. Maybe they could learn to get along, and be friends.

***

Steve didn't realize at first when they'd arrived. A lapful of wriggling Tony Stark was very distracting. The driver cleared his throat. "We're here."

"Hmm?" Tony lifted his head and Steve saw the shutters go back down again, hiding his emotions. "Good. You made excellent time, thanks." He reached into his pocket and pulled out several bills. Steve thought the new currency was ugly, but the larger numbers sure made the denomination easy to read. No wonder the driver smiled. "Pay the man, Steve," Tony said, handing him the money.

It was weird, but it made him feel better. And even more when Tony waited for him to open the door. They got out and Steve paid the driver before he turned to look at their destination. He looked and then leaned his head back for a better view.

Tony grinned at him and bounced on his heels, obviously pleased by Steve's reaction. "You'll get freckles on the roof of your mouth."

Steve blinked and decided never, ever to tell Tony that his first impulse was to declare it the ugliest building he'd ever seen. He smiled at Tony. "I'm not afraid of the big city, Mister. My ma warned me about men like you."

Tony's smile wavered and then brightened. "What did she say?"

"That they'd break my heart, and steal my wallet."

Tony laughed. "Your wallet is safe with me, Steve."

"What about my heart?" Steve said, trying for playfulness.

Tony tapped his chest. "Tempting." Then he turned swiftly and headed for the wide glass doors. "C'mon in, and welcome to the future! My Tower is awesome. It'll make the best super not-so-secret boyband clubhouse."

Steve had to hurry to get to the doors before Tony. "Boyband?"

"Maybe not... can you sing? I can sing. Well, in the shower. Jarvis never minded, so I assume I can sing."

"Jarvis?" Steve didn't have to open the door, it opened itself before he reached it. "Who's Jarvis?" He tried really hard to keep the jealousy out of his voice. He didn't think he succeeded.

"Jarvis... is hard to describe." Tony followed Steve into a shiny chrome, steel and white marble lobby. He waved at a receptionist sitting behind a huge desk, and pointed to an elevator set in an alcove. "Private elevator. Sorry, I have to get the door this time." He walked over to the elevator, put his hand on a panel and opened his eyes wide. A light flashed over his face, and then the elevator doors opened. "After you," Tony said.

Steve stepped into the elevator and wondered if it had really been a good idea giving up his apartment. Tony followed him in, all bounce and bright grin, and Steve decided, yes, it was the right thing to do.


	8. TONY

Tony didn't know what was going on in Steve's mind, but it was fairly obvious his emotional control was shot to hell, going from starry-eyed adoration to snappish to wounded in less than a minute? He supposed there was some biological mumbo-jumbo behind it. Sudden activation of hormones/adrenaline, etc. after being in bond-loss physical depression must be a bit like instant puberty. Wow, there were some unpleasant memories there... so, Tony had better take control for Steve before late-onset teenage rebellion packaged in two hundred pounds of muscle and bone resulted in some _really_ painful eruptions, far worse than shaving around zits. It wasn't going to be easy, because Tony wasn't all that great at controlling his own emotions.

Maybe they should just fuck a lot until Steve settled down? That... actually sounded like a pretty good plan. And in the elevator, with Steve's scent rising hot and thick around him, it sounded like the _only_ plan.

"I don't have a floor ready for you now, Steve," Tony said, watching for Steve's reaction from the corner of his eye.

"No?" Steve looked lost and betrayed. "So, what am I doing here?"

"I thought..." Tony turned to face Steve. "We might share the penthouse. Until, you know..."

"You, me and Jarvis?"

Tony put his hand on Steve's chest. "Jarvis is very discreet." Yeah, Tony shouldn't tease, but he loved the way the color rose in Steve's cheeks and his eyes flashed.

Steve growled. He actually growled and Tony swore his shoulders and chest got broader. The elevator suddenly seemed far too small.

"Whoa, there. Jarvis isn't... well, he's not human."

Steve frowned. "What is he, then? A dog?"

Tony laughed. "He'd byte me if I ever called him that. No, he's... I don't know how up-to-date you are on technology, but Jarvis is an artificial intelligence."

"A machine that thinks?" 

"Close enough." Tony figured explaining a computer would be complicated enough without explaining how computer _code_ could exist and respond like a living organism in whatever device was capable of supporting it. "I made Jarvis to help me in my work. He also helps me fly the Iron Man."

Steve nodded. "So, he's important to you?"

"Yeah, he kinda is." It was sentimental foolishness, but Tony hoped that Steve would like Jarvis. 

"Who else is important to you?"

"Well...there's the bots." Tony kept an eye on the floor indicator, suddenly wanting this conversation over. He wasn't sure how Steve would react to learning that Tony had two Alphas as close friends, and had tried awfully hard to bond with each of them. Neither Pepper nor Rhodey had taken him up on a full bonding, even before he went on the Afghanistan retreat, but he had sex with them. Nothing to be ashamed of, wasn't as if they were strangers dragged in by pheromones for a mindless fuck (and yeah, ok, he'd done that too, but everyone's young and stupid at one time), but maybe it made him not only broken, but used goods, in Steve's eyes. He'd like to preserve a little respect in their relationship, for however long it lasted. "Dummy and You... originally they were DUM-E and DUM-R, but Dumber managed to scrape off a few letters which proved he wasn't all that stupid, so I went along with his new name."

"Bots?"

"Short for robots."

"Are they like Asimov's 'Robbie'?"

"Huh. You read SF?"

"Sure. Bucky..." Steve paused and then went on, "Bucky and I used to go halfsies on magazines. _Super Science Stories, Astounding Science Fiction_ , whatever was out when we had enough to buy an issue. Sometimes Isaac lent us a copy."

"Isaac? You knew Isaac Asimov?"

"Yeah. He was a swell guy. His dad was always buying candy shops in Brooklyn and whenever Isaac was behind the counter, he'd weigh out the penny candy a little heavy for us. Smart as a whip, Isaac was. We figured he was gonna make a name for himself."

"Yeah. He did that." Tony was slightly bemused. He knew, intellectually, how old Steve was, but this really brought it home. Maybe he'd even talked with Asimov and given him an idea that wound up in one of his stories.

"So, are your bots like Robbie?"

"Um, let me think... was Robbie the big clumsy robot who saved his owner's life?"

"Yep, after he got traded in for a collie pup."

"You've got quite a memory. Well... yeah. Dummy saved my life." Tony tapped on his arc reactor. "So I guess he's a lot like Robbie."

Steve frowned. 

"What?"

"Why did your robot have to save your life? I mean, wasn't there a person around?"

Tony sighed. "Omegas don't need to live with guardians these days. We're expected to be able to take care of ourselves."

"Huh." Steve reached out and put his hand on the back of Tony's neck. "And do you like that?"

Steve smelled so good, and his hand felt so good, so big and warm and comforting. Tony took a deep breath. "I like not being owned."

"It's not like that." Steve moved closer, until he was all Tony could see. "It shouldn't be."

Tony tilted his head back to meet Steve's eyes. "What should it be like?"

"Like this." Steve pulled him close and kissed him, slowly and thoroughly, while those big hands roamed over Tony's back, shoulders to thighs and everything in between. It was like being mapped, like Jarvis analyzing a model for projection, only... yeah, warm and strong, enough pressure that he'd have to really try to get away. But why would he do that?

Tony returned the kiss and slid his arms around Steve's waist, doing a little mapping of his own. "Yeah, like this," Tony muttered as he moved to kiss the corner of Steve's mouth. "This, I like. I like this very much, Steve."

Steve grinned at him brightly. And then the elevator stopped, and the doors opened on the main room of the penthouse.

Tony was slightly disappointed. He'd never been fucked in an elevator before. But then, the lube was in his bedroom... "We're here," Tony said. "Want the grand tour?"

"Which way is the bedroom?" Steve loosened his grip enough to let Tony walk.

Tony grinned.


	9. STEVE

Tony's apartment was huge, but cold, impersonal. "I thought Omegas liked... you know..." Steve shrugged as he couldn't find the words to say 'cuddly things' without insulting Tony's ridiculous bantam rooster machismo.

"Yeah. I know. There should be velvet paintings of Elvis, and fringed lampshades, right?" Tony grinned. "If it helps your disillusion any, there's a sunken pit lined in plush near the fireplace."

"That does help, actually." Steve ignored the 'velvet paintings of Elvis' as something that he probably didn't _want_ to understand, and took several steps into the room, arm still casually draped over Tony's shoulder. He was beginning to see the advantages of the four inches he had over Tony, it was comfortable leaving his arm there, like it belonged. "Did you ever... on that fur rug?" He frowned. "How would you get it clean again?"

"Yes, I did, and I have no idea how they cleaned it. Jarvis oversees the housekeeping service." Tony paused to look at Steve. "I don't cook, clean, or do windows, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't." Really, he hadn't been. The idea of Tony as a happy little domestic Omega was just... like a fish on roller skates. "Tony, I'm not expecting you to be anything."

"Right. It's not as if this was real." Tony slipped from under Steve's arm. "Want a drink? I've got everything." He headed for a bar stocked with unlabeled bottles in varied shapes, filled with liquids mostly in whiskey brown.

"I'm fine." Steve didn't know what had set Tony off again, but he wasn't standing by this time. "You're fine. Tony, come on." He went over to Tony and stroked his shoulders. "I want you. Don't you want me?" He kissed Tony's neck.

Tony closed his eyes and let his head fall back, exposing his throat. "You know I do." He waved an arm blindly. "The bedroom is that way."

"The fur rug is closer." Steve let his teeth graze over the slight roughness of stubble on Tony's throat. He was obviously a five o'clock shadow type. Steve liked that. His beard was always slow to come in and looked too light to please him.

Tony made a noise that set Steve's nerves on fire. "Lube. In the drawer by the bar." 

Steve kissed his throat once more before going for the lube. This time he didn't tell Tony to stay. He didn't think reverse psychology would work on Tony, but equally obviously, ordering him around just got his back up like an angry cat, instead of enjoying it, the way Bucky had. So he'd try just assuming Tony would be good if given the chance, and see what happened. It wouldn't be so difficult if Tony didn't keep reminding him of Bucky and then... not. It kept him off balance. Maybe that was good. Someone once said that walking was a series of controlled falls- you have to sacrifice balance in order to move.

He found the lube, well, what he assumed was lube. It was packaged funny, in a bottle curved and recurved in a way that suggested an organic form. He popped the top open and sniffed. Didn't smell bad. Not arousing, like natural slick, but that was ok, Tony was plenty sexy and Steve was sure ready to go to town. He poured a few drops on his fingers and approved the thick slipperiness. He turned and saw Tony watching him, mouth slightly open and eyes dark with arousal. Steve smiled. "Let's see how dirty we can get your rug."

"Yeah. Jarvis likes a challenge." Tony tilted his head. "Jarvis, daddy is playing now, be good and don't watch."

Steve didn't jump when the British-accented voice out of nowhere answered in a droll, even slightly sarcastic, tone, "Thank you, sir. I shall endeavor to contain my disappointment." He did look around, but anyone would.

"That's Jarvis?"

"Uh huh. Eyes and ears everywhere in my Tower. And the Iron Man." 

Steve nodded and came over to Tony with the bottle of lube. "So, Jarvis and your bots look after you." He slipped his hand inside Tony's jacket. "That sounds lonely." He kept his tone calm with an effort. Tony's copper and coconut scent was sharpening his senses. He ran his hand over the reactor, touching the scar tissue.

"Uh. No." Steve paused.

"Does it hurt?"

Tony shrugged.

"Tony."

"It's... no, it's all right. Just, you hit the wrong spot. Mostly it's numb." Tony took hold of Steve's hand and moved it over a few inches. "There. There's good."

"Here?" He pinched a nipple and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. Tony's eyes half-closed.

"Uh, yeah. That's... yeah," Tony's voice had gone all husky and he arched into Steve's touch. Really, he wasn't a bad Omega, just...you know... a brat. Steve bet that if Tony just got enough attention he wouldn't be so prickly. And Steve really wanted to give him lots of attention.

He kissed Tony while he tugged on the nipple. Tony followed as Steve backed up towards his goal. He stopped when he sensed the pit was just behind him. Tony opened his eyes and looked at him, dazed and confused. It was really sweet. Steve grinned and picked Tony up. There was a brief yelp of protest, and then laughter as he dumped his burden down in the thick white plush. He looked down at Tony and grinned. "It suits you." The artist in him admired the arrangement; dark hair, silvery suit, white fur. He wanted to paint Tony like that. The Alpha in him just _wanted_. He stripped his clothes off, dropping them to the cold stone floor before he stepped down onto the soft warm fur nest.

This time Tony let Steve take over, let him undress him, kiss him, and mark him all over until his scent was overlaid with Steve's, until his scars had all been carefully licked with unspoken promises of care and protection, possession and cherishing. "You're mine," Steve said when Tony was stripped bare of everything, including his pretenses, laid bare on his back, legs spread over Steve's thighs as he knelt, preparing Tony with plenty of lube on his fingers. It was different, having to prepare his Omega, having to hold back while the ache built, and his blood roared. Different, but not bad. Not bad at all.

"Yours," Tony agreed, throatily.

Steve lifted Tony's knees a little higher and pushed in. It felt so good he had to fight to keep his focus. He wanted to see Tony's face this time, wanted to see it soften with acceptance, with welcome. "Tony. It's good." The fur was cloud soft under his knees, under his hands as he braced himself to thrust in deep, dragging a moan from Tony. He wanted to tell Tony how alive he felt, how the ice was all gone, how his nerves sang and every inch of him was urgently, immediately, _real_ in a way this crazy new world never was. There was nothing real but this, just pushing into the sweet tight grip of his Omega, just pulling those beautiful groans and delicious writhings from him. But all he could do was moan and repeat Tony's name and broken mutterings of 'good' and 'sweet' . There, Tony opened that last little bit; Steve's knot rammed in to lock tight and he fell to his elbows, barely remembering to brace above Tony, not to press on the reactor...

"Tony?" 

Steve reared back in a furious panic and twisted enough to see a woman. Tall and slender, with reddish hair and wide blue eyes and the scent of a possessive Alpha. "He's mine!" Steve roared, fists clenched in frustration. He couldn't move any more, even as it was, he was probably hurting Tony.

"Oh, God," the woman said. She reached in her purse for something, Steve didn't know, but he guessed a weapon. He prepared to take whatever it was, protect Tony with his body.

Tony squirmed and shouted, "No, no, Jesus! Pep, Pepper, Pepper, don't! We're bonded! It's ok, really!"

"Tony?" the woman, Pepper, said. She didn't look reassured, but she didn't pull a gun out of her bag, either. "When did this happen? You weren't even _dating_ yesterday!"

"Yeah, you thought no one would have me."

"Tony," Steve said in warning, "Who is this, and why does she think you belong to her?"

"Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries." Tony grimaced. "We were a thing. Thing- ISH. But she called it off, months ago!"

Steve looked at Pepper. "Tony's mine, now."

"FINE!" Pepper threw her hands up in the air, dropping her purse at the same time. "It's not as if it's the worst thing I've caught you doing, Tony!" She picked up her purse and turned around. "Next time, lock the elevator!" She strode over to the elevator and got in it. The elevator doors slid shut and then Steve looked down at Tony.

Tony gave him a sheepish look. "Well, I did say I wasn't a virgin."


	10. PEPPER

Pepper's hands were trembling as she got out her cell the moment the elevator doors closed. She hit the speed-dial and tapped her shoes impatiently on the hard floor until she heard the familiar voice pick up. "What's Tony done now?" Rhodey said.

"How do you know Tony's done anything? I could be calling for... oh, all right, yes, it's Tony." She looked at the floor indicator smoothly morphing into new numbers. "He's got himself bonded."

"What? Hey, I thought you were keeping me in the loop on our boy?"

"I was! I am. It only happened today! You know I was trying to find someone nice for him, but he said he wasn't interested in 'sympathy fucks' and he's been spending all his time in the workshop when he's not flying around in armor, getting _shot_ at."

"So how did he get bonded?" Rhodey sounded concerned.

Pepper raked her hair back and tied it fiercely in a knot, instinctively readying herself for battle. "I don't know. He wasn't taking calls today, even had his messaging turned off, so, you know... I went up to the penthouse expecting I'd have to pour him into bed, and, and... right in the middle of the 'lovepit'... this huge, blond gold-digger..." Pepper took a deep breath and looked at the numbers, still a long way to go. "I swear, he couldn't be much more than twenty, muscles like a wrestler, looked like he _lives_ in the gym... now where would Tony even _meet_ someone like that?"

"Well, a bar pick-up, you know Tony, that's nothing to him." Rhodey tried, and failed, to keep the censure out of his voice. "He's always gotta have excitement. He's a big boy and he can take care of himself... what am I saying..."

"This wasn't a... they were... oh, my God, they were _knotted_ and this, this... _person_ said Tony belonged to him, and Tony said they were _bonded_." Pepper barely restrained herself from punching the wall of the elevator. "If this man is only after his money, it's going to break Tony's heart. He already thinks he's ruined and worthless."

"Can you check Goldie out?"

"I don't even know his name!" Pepper dug out her Starkpad and started it up. "I'll get Jarvis to check the auto tracking logs, phone calls, anything... find out where Tony went today, where he found this man, but when I _do_ find out who he is, I'd like you to be here. Maybe this guy will actually be good for Tony, once we let him know we'll be watching him."

Rhodey made an affirmative grunt. "The Air Force still likes me keeping Tony sweet, even without all the bang-toys S.I. used to make. I can get leave and be there in a couple of days, maybe tomorrow if I get a sympathetic hearing. There's a few generals who have a soft spot for our bad boy."

"Thanks, Rhodey." Pepper felt much better. She and Rhodey had taken care of Tiberius Stone and Kathy Dare and she'd handled any number of shallow Alphas just wanting to scratch Tony Stark's name on their bedpost. They could make sure this new guy treated Tony right. "I should have more information by then. I'll let you go now."

"Right." Rhodey sighed. "If we didn't love the brat so much..."

Pepper smiled. "He's our Tony, no matter who he bonds with. Goodbye, Rhodey." Pepper concentrated on the Starkpad until the elevator reached the lobby. By the time it reached the ground floor she had her battle plans laid.

She got into the back seat of the limo, her signal to Happy to put on their professional relationship masks. "Where to, Ms. Potts?" her fiance said briskly.

"The SHIELD warehouse. The one we're not supposed to know about."

Happy started the limo. "Is Mr. Stark in trouble?"

"Someone is," Pepper said grimly.

***

"Hello, Phil, " Pepper said when Coulson knocked on the window of the limo. "Roll the window down, please, Happy." The window went down and she gave Coulson a too bright smile. "Well, what a coincidence meeting you here!"

Coulson sighed and leaned over to put his hands on the window frame. "Ms. Potts, you've been parked here for twenty minutes. I hardly think coincidence applies."

"If I had gone inside, would I have been able to speak with Director Fury?"

"Well, of course, as soon as he had an opening in his schedule..." Coulson paused. "You're going to stay here, aren't you?"

"It's a public parking lot, Phil." She glanced around at the assorted drab 'not SHIELD, no don't look at me' vehicles scattered around the lot. The Rolls looked incredibly out of place. "I'm thinking of bringing over the rest of the Stark fleet."

"Yes. Would you like to come in? I think I could persuade the Director to spare you a few moments."

"Sorry. I'm comfortable here."

"Your mistrust wounds me to the quick, Ms. Potts."

Pepper's eyes glittered. "Tony came here today. I don't know what went on, but I can guess. And the fewer facts I have to base my guesses on, the more I dislike the situation."

"And that situation is?"

"I hope you realize that I'm just as good at my job as you are at yours. Yours is keeping secrets. Mine is keeping Tony Stark's personal and business world running smoothly. Tony has apparently _bonded_ with an Alpha I don't know from Adam, someone he must have met either while he was here, or soon after. If I don't get a satisfactory explanation, there will be trouble, Phil."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a statement of fact. Whatever Fury wants from Tony, he'd have better chances of getting with my cooperation."

Coulson smiled. "And what if Fury has already got what he wanted?"

Pepper drew in a sharp breath. "He didn't want Tony before, why is he doing this now? Is this man one of Fury's agents? Is he going to try to coerce Tony into designing weapons for SHIELD? Abuse of bond-influence is a felony, Mr. Coulson."

"It's not like that. Steve is a very good man."

"Steve. Thank you. Now I have a first name for this agent."

"Steve Rogers is not an agent."

"Steve Rogers." Pepper noted the name. "That's familiar... my God, are you trying to convince Tony that his childhood hero has been brought back to life to bond with him? Oh, no, you are not getting away with gaslighting Tony! Happy, start the car!"

"No! Please, wait! It's not what you think. I'll tell you everything. But not here."

Pepper looked at Phil for a long moment and then nodded. "Happy, unlock the door. Mr. Coulson is going on a drive with us."


	11. TONY (starting the moment the elevator doors shut on Pepper)

"Jarvis," Tony said, "Once Pepper is out, lock down the elevator. Jarvis!"

"As you command, sir," Jarvis said and the small light next to the elevator doors went dark.

Tony looked up at Steve. "I'm sorry about that. Jarvis should have warned me Pepper was coming up. Or at least told her I wanted privacy."

"Well, you did tell him not to watch us," Steve said, quite calmly, considering he'd been ambushed while knotting.

"Yeah, not to _watch_. That doesn't mean he didn't know perfectly well what he was doing." Tony wriggled a little to get more comfortable. Steve slid his hands down under Tony's back and shifted him slightly.

"Better?"

"Yeah, that's great." Tony closed his eyes and just enjoyed the floating, peaceful sensation of being securely knotted. It was nearly the only time he could totally relax without his brain spinning off scenarios, designs, ideas, potential dangers... just... he couldn't move, and he didn't _need_ to move, and he didn't have to do anything. It was like a mini-vacation, only without the chance of sunburn, hangover or sore feet, depending on whether he was yachting, gambling in Vegas, or giving in to Rhodey's occasional inexplicable whim to get back to nature and go hiking. 

Steve poked him lightly in the ribs. "Don't go to sleep."

"Bossy," Tony said, but without malice. "Why not?"

"Because you woke up cranky last time."

"Huh. Yeah." Tony stroked his hands down Steve's sides. "Missed the cuddle. I felt cheated." He must really be mellow, to confess that.

Steve smiled. "So stay awake." He angled his weight onto his left arm, and brought his right hand up to rub at Tony's shoulder, thumb making circles in the hollow of his throat. 

Tony made a noise that he would insist bore no resemblance at all to a purr. "Keep that up and I'll be asleep in a minute. No, don't stop!" Tony said when Steve paused. "Just... talk to me, tell me something about yourself..." On second thought, Steve might not care to share his secrets with his stop-gap bondmate. "Or ask me something. Anything. Most of my life is a matter of public record, anyway."

Steve's eyes narrowed slightly. Tony imagined he was sifting through questions, trying to find something harmless. "You said Jarvis knew what he was doing. You mean he deliberately let Pepper walk in on us?"

Tony blinked and lifted his head. "You're right. He must have. Hey, Jarvis, why did you do that?"

"It is not my place to approve or disapprove of your... activities, sir. However, it _does_ fall under Ms. Potts purview."

Tony let his head sink back into the fur. "So you thought Pepper would fight Steve off? That's... oh, god, that's so hot." His imagination filled in the scene. Pepper would be fast and vicious, Steve would be strong and determined. So hot.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I am not going to battle your previous conquests, Tony."

"I'm disappointed, really I am." Tony squeezed Steve's biceps. "You have no idea... god, you and Rhodey in a cage match." Tony licked his lips.

"Rhodey?" And there it was again, that tiny frown. Tony liked seeing Steve acting jealous.

"Rhodey. Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes. We went to M.I.T. together... well, I say together, but it was more of he let me hang out with him to keep the other Alphas off my back, at least until I was legal."

"You went to college by yourself, as a minor?" The frown was back, and strongly disapproving. "What was Howard thinking?"

Tony shrugged, as much as he could in the fur. "I don't know. I faked his signature on the application form, but when the approval came back, he let it stand. He was probably relieved to get me out of his hair again." At Steve's inquiring look, Tony explained, "I'd just got kicked out of the last boarding school with a decent engineering curriculum and I was kinda driving him up the wall."

"Boarding school?" Tony could tell that hadn't gone over any better.

"I dunno whether it was that he hadn't wanted kids at all, or he hadn't wanted an Omega son, or maybe we were just too similar, but he wanted as little to do with me as possible. Hence, boarding school. Schools." Tony grinned. "They had a habit of blowing up or catching on fire."

Suddenly Steve laughed out loud. "I think Bucky would have liked you. He always wanted to burn down the orphanage."

Tony wasn't sure what he felt at being compared to Steve's long-lost love. It was weird, good in one way, horrible in another way. So he decided not to think about it. He grinned at Steve. "Making things go bang is my specialty." He wrapped his legs around Steve's waist and rubbed one heel along a lovely firm gluteus. "I bet you're good at that, too."

"Getting into trouble was always my specialty. I kept biting off more than I could chew. Seems like only yesterday, I was this... well, little guy with a big chip on my shoulder." Steve's expression had gone distant, even melancholy.

Tony didn't like that and blurted out the first stupid thing that came to mind. "Does that mean now you're a big guy with a little chip on your shoulder?"

Steve smiled. "Fury thinks he can put the world on my shoulders." Steve shook his head. "They're not that broad."

"Yeah, you know, I kinda think they are." So he wouldn't get to keep Captain America. At least Tony could do his part to support the man with a plan until someone better than him showed up to take over. If he was really lucky, it'd be a friendly breakup, like with Pepper and Rhodey. He could do a hell of a lot worse than keep Steve as a friend. Tony pulled himself up by Steve's shoulders to kiss him, soft and sweet.

Steve returned the kiss the same way, slow and tender. Tony's dick decided it had enough down time after Pepper's dramatic entrance had wilted his enthusiasm and began perking up. Huh, who knew? Gentleness was apparently an effective kink for him. He reached down to work himself, slow and lazy. It was nice, all full on the inside, arousal so easy... pre-ignition. Tony hadn't knotted as often as his reputation would suggest, so he didn't really have a large enough sample for analysis, but it had never been quite so... satisfying. Maybe it was because this was the first time he'd done it, the cuddling aftermath, anyway, without condoms. He couldn't really _feel_ Steve's happy little soldiers marching around, but maybe he could absorb some of the hormonal goodness.

Steve kept kissing him, moving just a little each time, so Tony hadn't realized where he was heading until he felt lips on his throat, wet warmth against the skin as Steve wordlessly asked for his submission. Tony sighed and closed his eyes, pushing his head back to fully expose his throat. He waited to feel Steve press his teeth in to leave indentations, the customary Alpha claiming ritual, but instead the kisses continued, soft and cherishing. The illusion of love made his eyes prickle, hot and wet. He jerked his dick harder to distract himself. Steve was an old-fashioned guy. It didn't mean anything that he wasn't up to speed in today's harsh, grab it while it's on offer, world. He was used to _courting_ , to being concerned about the Omega's reputation, to making a home and all that romantic hooey. This was just Steve being Steve. If he'd hired an Omega escort, he'd have treated him or her the same.

Still, there was no denying how nice it was, even though it did distract him from his dick. He stretched a little further to cup his balls. The kisses paused, and then Tony felt a larger, stronger, grip on his cock. It leaped to attention. "Is that good?" Steve muttered against Tony's throat.

Tony swallowed so hard he could feel Steve's lips move against him. "Oh, yeah. Now that you've got a tiger by the tail, what are you gonna do?"

Steve chuckled against his throat. "What I always do. Hold on." Steve's hand was slippery, he must have got more lube. Tony moaned. "I like Tony the Tiger."

Tony had never come while giggling before. Another first.


	12. PEPPER

"So," Pepper said the moment Coulson sat down, "Explain to me just what this is." She resisted the impulse to offer him a drink or a softer tone of voice. She let Tony play her with Omega wiles, but that immunized her against Omegas like Coulson who were sharp and savvy and just as politely ruthless as she was. The car started smoothly and Happy took them on the road. She didn't bother giving him a destination.

"I'll have to tell you things you're not technically cleared to know. Specifically, the Avenger Initiative."

"Oh, the supersecret boy band that Tony didn't mention to me at all. Repeatedly." Pepper was not getting any less annoyed. "The one that justified Fury crippling Jarvis and breaking into Tony's Malibu mansion in order to discuss it with him?" She wasn't sure that Fury knew Stane had paralyzed Tony and left him to a slow death on the same couch Fury had been standing behind, in the dark, when Tony had returned home, tired and emotionally vulnerable. But she wouldn't put it past Fury. "The one that Tony wasn't qualified for? The one where Fury had him running errands to reverse-charm a general notorious for his malicious abuse of power against people who defy him, just so Tony could be an unpaid consultant? Is that the Initiative I'm not supposed to know about?" In a word, Pepper was livid.

Coulson didn't quite wince, even under the sharp scent of Pepper's rage. "That would be the one, yes."

"And what has the Avenger Initiative to do with my Tony?" She'd like to slap Fury for telling Tony that he was unwanted, that the only thing good about him was the armor he risked his life to use. The last thing Tony needed was more self-worth issues and excuses to fling himself headlong into danger.

"The Initiative was in danger of being canceled." Coulson leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice. Pepper didn't fall for that trick either. When she didn't move toward him, Coulson sat back again. "I can't... really, I can't tell you how we know, but Director Fury and I are convinced that sometime in the future-- very probably the near future-- that the Avengers would be the only ones who could save us."

"Save SHIELD?"

"The world, Ms Potts. There are... threats... of a previously unheard of nature out there."

"I'm still not seeing the connection between hypothetical alien menaces and Tony's new playmate."

Coulson looked pained. "Captain Rogers was recently discovered in a state of suspended animation, and revived, with all the skills and abilities he possessed during World War II. He's the leader the Avengers desperately needs. Unfortunately, he was suffering from a severe case of bond-loss. Even more unfortunately, from your point of view, I imagine, Mr. Stark was the only suitable substitute for Captain Rogers' original Omega."

Pepper felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Literally. "You're telling me that Fury is using Tony as a sex-surrogate in order to appease an emotionally unstable, inhumanly powerful, soldier who stepped straight off a battlefield into Tony's bedroom? Did you even test the man for his ability to handle civilian life? Do you know if he has stress reactions to ... oh, loud noises, explosions, people who don't follow orders? Did you even _consider_ the possibility he might get annoyed at Tony and break his neck? My god, did no one think of the Omega?"

"Captain Rogers' is the ultimate Alpha, created to protect and defend. On a personal level, the man is innately decent. His record speaks for itself. Mr. Stark was fully informed of the situation, and Captain Rogers' identity. It's not as if he's not getting any benefit from it."

"Are you jealous?"

"I actually _like_ Mr. Stark, entirely against my better judgement, I assure you." Coulson met her eyes, calmly. "I wouldn't throw Tony to the wolves, Pepper. I really think he and Steve will be good for each other."

Pepper sighed. "I hope so." She shook her head and opened the mini-bar. "I'm going to have a martini, Phil. Maybe more than one. Care to join me?"

"I'm going to have to report to Director Fury on my breech of security with you. I doubt that debriefing would be improved by liquor on my breath."

"Oh, I'm going with you, Phil. To let Fury tell me all the things you omitted." Pepper smiled. "I think you may want a little alcoholic cushioning."

"Gin and tonic, please. Make it a double."

***

Pepper smoothed her skirt and sat down in front of Fury's desk. "Thank you for taking the time to see me, Director. I know how valuable it is."

Fury gave her a sour look. "Let's cut the bull. Agent Coulson presented this interview to me as the lesser of two evils. I don't want to make an enemy of you, I already have plenty. But on the other hand, what's one more? So you tell me what you want, and we'll see which side the coin lands."

Coulson stood at the side of Fury's desk, expressionless. Pepper thought that was a nicely subtle intimidation maneuver. She pulled out her Starkpad and laid it on the desk. A touch of her finger and a hologram of Tony appeared, floating above the table. It was one of her favorites, where he was rumpled and in greasy work clothes, the arc reactor light reflected in his eyes and smile. "This. I want Tony Stark happy and healthy. I want a lot of other things, too, but for the purposes of this discussion, I'm willing to make that my main focus."

Fury's sour expression didn't improve. "I have a lot more important things on my plate than coddling one spoiled Omega."

Pepper smiled brightly. "No, you don't. You may have a lot of other, equally important things, but Tony fits into too many of your plans to dismiss him, doesn't he? You made a special trip into the vaults to retrieve the information that saved his life. You assigned some of your best agents to kick him into motion. And now he's apparently the thin thread that binds Captain America, and your pet project, to you. Maybe you're right to keep your plans from Tony. Maybe you're going to tell me a pack of lies. But you'd better make them awfully good lies that don't insult my intelligence. I can be a valuable ally, why alienate me unnecessarily?"

Fury gave her a long, one-eyed stare. "Let's understand one thing, Ms. Potts. I don't actually need your good will. You and I both know that when the call to battle sounds, Tony Stark will button himself up in his tin jammies and be on the front line no matter what anyone says. He's bonded to Captain America of his own free will, knowing that it's a temporary arrangement. He understands the necessity of putting Captain America's strengths at his country's service. God help me, but I do firmly believe that Tony Stark is a patriot and that he would defend America with his dying breath. And taking Captain America as his bondmate won't kill him."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't. I do know the stakes are too high to let that possibility influence my decision. I can't tell you the details, but I can confirm that I do value Tony Stark, and I actually think the Avengers would be a good thing for him, in the long run. He'll have someone to watch his back in battle, Ms. Potts. Have you considered that?"

"Will he?" Pepper narrowed her eyes as she considered options, what Fury might allow, what might be helpful. "How will the hypothetical team watch his back if they're SHIELD agents? You'll have them on missions elsewhere most of the time, won't you?"

"Well, Captain Rogers will be there. He's moving into the Stark Tower, I believe."

Pepper nodded. "I thought as much. The Tower currently has a large number of unused floors. They can be set up to any requirements."

"Are you offering the use of Stark's Tower to house the Avengers?" Fury raised his visible eyebrow. "Do you even have that right?"

"So long as it's no more than twelve percent of the Tower, I have. Do we have a deal?"

Fury stood up and extended his hand. "I think we do, Ms. Potts. Agent Coulson will serve as liaison between SHIELD and the team. Do you find that acceptable?"

Pepper nodded and took Fury's hand. "How many people are you expecting on the team?" She gave him a firm grip before releasing his hand and picking up her Starkpad.

"Probably no more than seven, including Mr. Stark and the captain. I have two people already on the payroll, and we're beginning... negotiations... for a third."

"Negotiations? So, someone like Tony, that you don't already have under your thumb?"

"He has... issues with the military. But he could be an enormously helpful asset. Definitely someone you'd want at your back in a battle."

Pepper nodded again, thoughtfully. "An Alpha?"

"He's... complicated. An Omega for the purposes of negotiation."

"Well, I'm good with Omegas with military issues, so if you need my assistance in bringing him into the fold, let me know."

For the first time, Fury looked like she'd actually surprised him. "I may take you up on that, Ms. Potts."


	13. RHODEY

It had taken a week (unfortunately General Stein had thrown obstacles in the way--Tony's bad luck with people named anything similar to Stone, Stane, and Stern was a running, but not very funny, joke between Rhodey and Pepper) before Rhodey got back to Manhattan. Pepper had told him about her meeting with Fury, and was keeping an eye on Rogers, but he had to see for himself that things were on the up and up.

He went straight up to Pepper's office, without bothering to drop off his kit bag or change from his uniform to off-duty rig. "Hey, Pepper," he said, shushing her secretary as he peered at her through the glass door. Pepper smiled and waved him in.

"Hold all my calls, Mrs. Arbogast, please," Pepper said as she stood up and hugged him. "It's so good to see you, Jim."

Rhodey raised an eyebrow after she released him. "It's good to see you too, Virginia."

Pepper laughed and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Sorry, the situation with Tony and Rogers... it's confusing and it's messing with my mind. I've tried to talk to Tony about it and all he'll say is, it's fine, going great."

"But you don't think it is?" Rhodey pulled the other chair around to face hers and sat down, with his hands on his knees, leaning forward.

"I don't know. Rogers is very attentive, I can't say otherwise, but... Tony rush-ordered completion of the furnishings on the floor below the penthouse and Rogers moved in there three days ago."

"They're bonded and Rogers wants to live away from Tony?"

"I'm not sure. Rogers is polite, but doesn't actually _say_ anything, while Tony says nonsense about him not wanting to disturb Rogers when he gets up in the middle of the night with an idea." Pepper sighed. "Tony is stupid in love with the man."

"Huh. And being Tony, you think he's shooting himself in the foot?"

"Maybe." Pepper shook her head. "And maybe Tony's right to try to keep some distance. Fury and his 'temporary arrangement'." Pepper nearly growled. 

"Betas," Rhodey said. "They think everyone's like them, y'know, 'we're not animals, we can rise above biology'," Rhodey added in a warble reminiscent of his sixth grade sex education teacher, who had been a particularly priggish Beta; sometimes he despaired of the school system. "What part of 'bonding' does Fury not get?"

"It's a mess and they went into it without any courting-- unless you count butting heads and snarling at each other."

"That's just not right." Rhodey sighed. "Ok, there's no way anyone's getting through Tony's pointy little head, but maybe I can reach Rogers, you know, an Alpha to Alpha talk. D'ya know where he is?"

"Unless he's with Tony on the penthouse, he'll be on his level, right below. Neither of them has left the building in a week."

"Well, I'm going to take that as a good sign." Rhodey stood up and put his hands on Pepper's shoulders. "Don't worry. We're gonna take care of our boy, and make this right." Rhodey knew that Jarvis listened to everything in the Tower even though he only responded to a few people. He was one of them, he still remembered Tony introducing them. So he raised his voice slightly and said, "Hey, Jarvis, can you tell me where Captain Rogers is right now? Don't y'know, disturb him if he's having a private moment with Tony, but I'd like to have a word with him."

"Captain Rogers is currently in his own quarters, Colonel. Shall I connect you?" Pepper's smart glass desk brightened.

"Yeah, Jarvis. But audio only and be polite." Rhodey wasn't sure how Jarvis felt about Rogers, but he knew how protective Tony's A.I. could be. "Captain Rogers?"

"Yes?" The man sounded confused. "Who is this, please?"

"James Rhodes, sir."

"Colonel Rhodes?"

"Yes, sir, but I'm not here an official capacity. I'd like to speak to you on a personal matter. About Tony." There was a long silence, and then Rogers said, "Yeah, I was kinda expecting this. Come on up."

"Thank you, sir." The desk went dark. Jarvis said, "Captain Rogers has directed me to 'hang up' the phone."

"He was expecting me?" Rhodey looked at Pepper. "What did you tell him about me?"

"Nothing. I've only seen him in passing, when I had to bring papers for Tony to sign. I suppose Tony must have mentioned you."

"Guess so." Rhodey picked up his kit bag. "I'll let you know how it goes, Pepper."

***

Rhodey stepped out of the elevator and blinked. He'd been expecting Captain America to be an enormously scary Alpha, and subconsciously thought he'd be like in the old posters, dressed in red, white and blue, all steely eyed and bulging muscles, hurling his shield like a discus medalist. Steve Rogers was big all right, but he was wearing a plaid shirt and khaki trousers, and holding a sketch pad. He gave Rhodey a smile that could only be described as 'sheepish'.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting how fast that elevator is. Thought I'd have time to clean up, Colonel."

"Clean up?" Rhodey saw a few pencils and a blobby eraser lying on the coffee table next to a mug of coffee sitting on a coaster. Except for that the room looked spotless. "Uh huh." He held out his hand. "Call me James, or Jim, or heck, Rhodey, the way Tony does. I'll never shake that nickname. Could be worse, you know how he is with nicknames." Rogers took his hand in a firm grip, but didn't make it a test of strength. "Calls me any old thing, honey bear, platypus, sugar glider... what's he call you?"

"Um, well, mostly just Steve. Sometimes he calls me Cap. That's... about it." After the handshake Rogers looked at a loss. "Could I get you a drink or... something? Rhodey?"

"I'm good." Rhodey walked over to the couch and sat down. "C'mon, relax, I'm not gonna bite you, Steve." Well, so far, Rogers hadn't reacted defensively to Rhodey's invading his territory which was a positive sign of self-control- and god knows, anyone dealing with Tony would need plenty.

"I wasn't quite sure about that." Rogers sat down far enough away from Rhodey that he could comfortably turn to face him. "The way Tony talked about you and Pepper I was kinda expecting to be taken out behind the barn and threatened with a pitchfork if I made Tony cry."

Rhodey laughed. "Oh, no, Steve, these days it's a shovel speech. You know, I'll hit you over the head with it and then use it to dig your grave."

Steve smiled a bit. "I suppose that's modern efficiency for you."

"But I didn't come here to threaten you. I just wanted to see the man who's finally taken Tony off the market. He is off the market, right? This is for keeps?"

"That's..." Rogers sighed. "I want it to be, but... you know, you're in the service, there are higher responsibilities. Fury brought us together because I'd lost my bond-mate and I was... pretty much useless. Tony volunteered to help out. He said..."

"What? You know, Tony runs his mouth a lot. Doesn't always mean what he says, and he hardly ever thinks what it's gonna sound like to someone else."

Rogers scowled. "He said he just wanted the sex, and the chance to be on the team..." Rogers looked at Rhodey. "Which I don't think I'm supposed to discuss with you."

Rhodey laughed. "The Avengers? Ok, Tony did tell me and Pepper about that, but Fury hadn't said it was a secret. It wasn't as if he had any details- just, a group of special people banding together to handle threats normal troops can't. And you know, Tony's got a reputation, but I can't see him bonding with anyone unless he wanted to. Nobody makes Tony do anything he really doesn't want to do."

Rogers gave Rhodey a pained look. "I'd noticed."

"Yeah, he's a brat. But a good man underneath it all. Hey, that offer of a drink still stand? I could use a beer. Long trip in a starched uniform." Rhodey deliberately unbuttoned his uniform jacket and took it off, laying it over the arm of the couch.

"Sure. I've got some Sam Adams. Tony introduced me to it." 

"That's great." Rhodey leaned back and watched Steve fetch the beer in pilsner glasses, and set them on coasters on the table, pushing the sketch pad aside. "Hey, watch it." Rhodey grabbed up the pad. "Mind if I have a look?"

Rogers looked uncomfortable, then he shrugged. "Sure, go ahead." He took a long drink of his beer.

Rhodey opened the sketch pad. Tony stared back at him, all wide-eyed and Omega-doey soft. He flipped the pages. There were sketches of the scenes from the penthouse windows, there were cartoony doodles, but mainly, there were drawings of Tony, all adorable, even the sketches where he was covered in grease. "Oh, man, you've got it bad, Steve."

Steve nodded. "And you know the worst part?"

"No, what's that?"

"I can't even get drunk."

"That's a shame." Rhodey patted Steve on the arm. "But hey! I can! How about I get drunk for you?"

Steve smiled. "Thanks."


	14. PEPPER

Three hours later Rhodey hadn't returned or called. Pepper wasn't worried, not at all. After all, these were civilized days. Alphas might brawl over an Omega, but matches to the death over an Omega's honor, or lack of same, were a thing of the past. Surely it was long past. They wouldn't have been doing it back in the 1940's. Really, it hadn't been the dark ages... but Rhodey had been overprotective since Afghanistan... and maybe Steve just put on a polite face in front of her, because she was a female Alpha.

After the third time she read without understanding a word of the request for use of the Stark 'swoosh' on motorized skateboards-- or was it mobility scooters?-- Pepper gave up. She couldn't stand the suspense any longer. "Mrs. Arbogast, you can leave early today." She didn't pay any attention to the knowing look the Beta gave her.

***

"Jarvis, don't announce my arrival. In fact, put the elevator in silent mode." She could ask Jarvis what had happened, but she wanted to see for herself. The doors slid open with a bare whisper and she stared straight into the last scene she'd expected. Rhodey was sprawled across the couch, with an arm draped over Rogers' shoulders. Absently, she noted Rogers' eyes, a flash of blue, coming up to look at her. Her full attention was taken by the fact that Rhodey was stripped down to undershirt and briefs.

"What?" she said intelligently. Well, considering most of her brain had seized up, it was as intelligent as she was going to get.

"Heyyy, Pepper!" Rhodey shouted gleefully while waving a half-empty bottle of beer. He waved so enthusiastically, Rogers had to grab him to prevent him taking a header off the couch. 

"You're naked, Rhodey," Pepper said after a moment. "Why are you naked?"

"Not naked!" Rhodey glanced down at himself. "Was pre-serving the dignity o' the uniform," he enunciated with drunken caution. 

Rogers rolled his eyes. "He said he wanted to be my designated drinker, since I can't get drunk." He patted Rhodey on the shoulder. "And he's done a bang-up job of it. I haven't seen anyone so ossified in...well... not recently."

"Hey! I got to have your back! You're Captain America, Steve, and everyone who wears this uniform..." Rhodey's words trailed off. 

Pepper came into the room. "The uniform you're not wearing."

"Exactly!" Rhodey grinned at her and lost control of the beer bottle, which wound up on the carpet. "Oops." Rhodey peered down at the damp patch spreading on the carpet. "That's good. Keeps the moths out."

"Thank you, Rhodey," Rogers said diplomatically. He was smiling. "Ms. Potts..."

"Oh, call me Pepper. I haven't seen Rhodey touch a drop in nearly two years. He must think you're a very trustworthy person, Steve." She checked that the couch wasn't wet, and then sat next to Rhodey. "How are you doing, Rhodey?"

"Fine! Captain Rogers is a fine man. He has fine beer."

"I'm sorry if I've made Rhodey fall off the wagon," Steve said. "I didn't know he had a drinking problem."

"No problem, nope, no sir!" Rhodey said. "I just...last time I got drunk... the stripperessess, you know, not polite say 'no' to a pretty lady with a bottle of warm sake? On the way to Afghanistan." Rhodey twisted up his face in a scowl. "Tony wouldn't let me ride in the FunVee. If I wasn't so hungover, I coulda got him to let me be there. You know." He looked at Pepper. "I wasn't there for our boy. And they _took_ him an' they hurt him. Real bad."

Steve looked at Pepper. She swallowed hard and stroked Rhodey's hair. He leaned over and let her hug him. 

"I wasn't _there_ for our boy, Pepper," Rhodey said mournfully.

"Shh," Pepper said. "If you'd been with Tony, you'd have died."

"Should have. S'pose protect our boy." 

Pepper hugged Rhodey fiercely. "If you'd died, Rhodey, they'd have stopped looking for Tony. You found him. You brought him home." Pepper looked past Rhodey's shoulder at Steve, who was looking stunned. She made a face and he blinked, and seemed to snap out of his daze.

"You completed the mission, soldier," Steve said. "You carried out your duties honorably."

"I'm not a soldier. I'm an airman. I fly, man. I fly so sweet." Rhodey made airplane wing wiggle motions with his hands. "You should see War Machine, I'm a destroying angel. Zoom!"

"Uh huh," Steve said. "You look tired. Wanna go lie down for a while, airman?"

"Mmm, maybe..." Rhodey rubbed at his face. "Can't feel my face. Is it still there?"

"Yes, Rhodey," Pepper said, grinning. "You'll feel it when you wake up."

"Oh, good. I need my face. People like it. I have a beautiful face. Don't want to disappoint them. Gonna catch a little shut eye now, Captain." Rhodey closed his eyes and slumped against Pepper. Steve caught him and pulled him nearly upright, then tugged him into a fireman's carry and stood up.

"I'll put the Colonel down in the bedroom."

Pepper began picking up beer bottles and lining them up on the table. She had quite an impressive collection when Steve returned. "If Rhodey drank all of these we should probably be taking him to the hospital."

"No, I had my fair share." He smiled at Pepper. "I don't get drunk, but I still like the taste." He sat down next to her. "So, do I pass inspection, Pepper? It's a little late to be asking permission to date Tony, I know." His smile was easy, and it made her want to return it.

"You pass, Steve." 

"Good." Steve took a deep breath. "Then maybe you can tell me what Rhodey was talking about. What happened to Tony in Afghanistan?"

"I shouldn't. That's Tony's story to tell... or not tell."

Steve just stared at her, silently. Pepper sighed. "Well, I can tell you what's in the public record. After all, you could look it up yourself."

Steve nodded. "I just need something to help me understand him. To try not to hurt him."

"He went to Afghanistan to demonstrate a new missile to the Air Force."

Steve frowned. "Why? Aren't there plenty of testing grounds in the US?"

"That... that's complicated, and the answer would lead to things I really can't tell you without Tony's permission. Anyway. After the demonstration Tony's convoy was attacked. The airmen who were in the same vehicle with Tony were killed. Rhodey was knocked out so he didn't see what happened after he saw Tony get out of the car and head for cover. Tony...he... didn't make it. A missile... a Stark Industries fragmentary shell..." Pepper swallowed and looked away, at a blank wall. She really should get Steve some art to brighten his rooms. "He was taken prisoner by terrorists. He escaped three months later and Rhodey found him wandering in the desert. He had the arc reactor in his chest. It's... keeping inoperable shrapnel from moving into his heart. That's not exactly public knowledge, but he's let enough hints drop that any reasonably intelligent person could figure that out. After he came home he built the Iron Man suit. The second suit, actually. He made a replica of the original too, you've seen it in the workshop, haven't you?"

"The one that looks like it was built of scrap metal?" Steve's voice was level, and calm. Probably too calm.

"It was. I don't know exactly what happened in Afghanistan. But that wasn't all. Things happened after he came home. He discovered that S.I. arms and munitions were being sold under the table to terrorists, anyone who could pay the price-- again, that's not public knowledge, but all the missions Iron Man took to track down and destroy the weapons are on the public record. Tony blamed himself for accepting the status quo, for trusting...other people... and now he has to do everything himself and control everything himself."

"Huh." Steve looked thoughtful. "Thanks."

Pepper stood up. "Well, I should be going."

"I've got one question, Pepper."

"Yes?"

"The people who hurt Tony, the terrorists and... whoever else..."

"Oh. They're dead, Steve. All of them."

Steve nodded. "Thanks."


	15. STEVE

Pepper had gone and Rhodey was sleeping comfortably. Steve was left alone with ugly thoughts, sitting on the couch while some program played on the ridiculously large television set in the wall. He wasn't watching it, couldn't have said whether it was a movie or a documentary or one of the 'reality' shows about people far less interesting than his neighbors back in his old tenement. People couldn't have changed that much. The important things were always family and friends... and yeah, keeping body and soul together. He didn't... he only had Tony now, and Tony... Tony needed him, even though he wouldn't admit it.

An Alpha should _know_ what their Omega needed. It was frustrating not knowing. He'd known Bucky since they were children, and it had been so _simple_ , but everything with Tony was complicated, and it's not _right_ that he doesn't know. "Jarvis, could you tell Tony I'm coming up to the penthouse?"

"Certainly, sir."

Jarvis had tones; Steve had figured that out right away. "Is Tony in a mood?"

"No worse than usual, sir."

Steve sighed. "Well, I'm coming up anyway."

"Very good, sir."

***

Steve brought a deck of cards with him, and laid out a game of Spider on the coffee table in the penthouse living room. After a few minutes he knew Tony was in the room, although he couldn't say how. Tony's scent was everywhere, and he hadn't heard him come in; it was just _knowing_. "Hey, Tony," he said, glancing up from the cards.

"Hey, Steve." Tony came over and sat on the couch next to him. He was wearing a t-shirt with a ragged hole cut out for the reactor, jeans, and heavy work boots.

Steve put an arm around Tony's shoulders, and as usual, after a second's stiffness, Tony melted against him. "What are you up to now, or is it a secret?" He ruffled Tony's hair, teasing it into little spikes. 

"It's a secret." Tony grinned. "But since it's you asking, I'm just working out the bugs on a new armor." He held up his arms, showing off two gray metal bracelets. "Remote locators. Should make the armor home in and assemble on me where ever I am. Operative word... _should_."

"Uh huh." Steve tugged, and Tony let himself be pulled onto Steve's lap. "That's good. You know how much I like your armor."

"I don't know why you don't want a suit of your own. Rhodey likes his." Tony sounded a little petulant.

"Rhodey's a pilot... an airman," Steve remembered to correct. "I'm more comfortable with both feet on the ground."

"Stick in the mud, more like." But Tony leaned his head against Steve's shoulder.

"Probably." Steve ran his hand down Tony's chest, carefully avoiding the sensitive places near the reactor. "Rhodey came to see me today," he added as if by afterthought.

Tony pulled far enough away to look into Steve's face. "I didn't know he was here." His eyes narrowed. "If you tell me the two of you fought over me and I wasn't invited to watch, I'm going to be very annoyed."

Steve laughed. "No. Colonel Rhodes and I hit it off over beer and small talk. I couldn't get him to show me any baby pictures of you, but he promised he'd bring some next time."

"There are no baby pictures of me. I sprang forth from my father's forehead, a fully-grown genius."

"He mentioned a pony."

"Rhodey lies like a lying liar." Tony was silent for a moment as Steve continued the slow caresses. "All right, fine, your interrogation tactics are flawless. What did Rhodey say that made you come up here bent on seduction, Mata Hari-style?"

Steve considered denying it, but Tony sounded willing to talk. "He told me that he'd failed you in Afghanistan."

"That's ridiculous. There was an entire convoy pinned down under heavy fire. He told me to get to cover. I zigged when I should have zagged and got tagged with one of my own missiles. Fortunes of war. I'll have to talk with him." Tony started to get up, but Steve held him in place.

"Later. He's sleeping it off. It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters! Rhodey shouldn't be blaming himself. I was the target and a lot of good people died because of me."

"It's hardly your fault either. Those people were enemies of the US. They saw an opportunity and took it. You were just... a civilian bonus."

"No." Tony took a deep breath. "You're my Alpha... at least for now... I should tell you. Obadiah Stane, my father's partner, and then mine, contracted with the Ten Rings to have me killed. One of them recognized me and they decided it would be a better deal for me to make weapons for them for free than to expect Stane to pay what they thought my corpse was worth. Stane was always a tight one with the dollar." 

"Don't make a joke of it, Tony," Steve said softly. "I asked Pepper, after Rhodey got a little loose-lipped. She said you'd been their prisoner for three months, and Rhodey found you in the desert after you'd escaped on your own. Did you ever tell anyone what happened during those three months?"

Tony shrugged. "I'm an engineer, not a story-teller."

"Tony."

"It's a depressing story, and not even very original. They tried a little pressure, a few threats, but I was dying anyway, so I figured 'screw you'. But... the surgery... you know, they had captured an amazing surgeon... he did some inspired meatball surgery and hooked me up with an electro-magnet powered by a car battery to keep the shrapnel stabilized. Well... the surgery threw me off-cycle. It shouldn't have happened, I wasn't anywhere near due, but..." Tony grimaced. "Biology."

"You went into heat?" Steve's throat closed up, dry around a hard lump. "Did they..."

"Oh, no, that was the funny part. They considered me 'unclean', something about me being a slut, and one of an inferior, godless, people, whatever, yadda yadda. So. No. They didn't touch me that way. Just, you know, fun times with a water barrel and electric shock, and a whole lot of shouting." Tony looked past Steve at a wall. "The surgeon was an Alpha, and... he was bonded, but... you know... a really good doctor. So. Yinsen helped me. There wasn't. We didn't have. So. I lost the kid two months later."

"Oh, Tony."

"And then I lost Yinsen. But I never really had him to begin with, because, like I said, he was bonded. He was a really good man. He deserved better. He deserved better than to die, just so I could live."

Steve kissed Tony. "He was a good Alpha. I'm glad you had him."

Tony closed his eyes. "I would have kept the kid."

Steve just held Tony tight, and pretended not to see the tears.


	16. NATASHA

"Love is for children," Natasha Romanov said with distaste when she discovered the details of her latest mission. She looked up from the folder Fury had given her. She'd written much of it herself.

"Eh, you don't have to monitor their bedroom, Agent Romanov," Fury said. "I just need to know that this... bonding band-aid is holding Captain Rogers together. And hopefully, he's keeping Stark on a leash. I've given them three weeks to settle into a routine. I want to see how it's going."

"How long will I be required to observe them, sir?" On second thought, Tony Stark was the most childish man she'd ever met, so maybe love would be a good lever against him.

"Until further notice. You've been assigned to the Avengers' Initiative. When they're called upon, you'll fight with them."

Natasha scowled. "I usually work alone, sir."

"I'm well aware of your skill set and preferences, Agent. This takes priority."

"You do realize this will negate my usefulness as an undercover agent? Stark couldn't keep quiet about his _own_ secret identity for five minutes."

Fury nodded. "Yes, I do realize I'll likely be sacrificing the best covert activities agent SHIELD has, but it's necessary. Nothing less than the best will do for the Avengers."

Natasha nodded, accepting Fury's valuation of her worth. "Do you expect me to control the team? Behind the scenes?"

"No, better not. Rogers and Stark have a shared history of aversion to authority and manipulation. So... don't get caught."

"Do I ever?" Natasha smiled. "Can you tell me who else will be on the team?"

"The roster isn't finalized. Barton will definitely be joining you, once he finishes his mission in New Mexico." Fury took the folder from Natasha and dumped it into a slot in his desk. A lick of heat proved it was incinerated. Natasha never quite understood why he liked paper. Maybe he just enjoyed burning things. "He and Coulson are there handling a situation. Possibly they'll bring back a candidate for the team."

"Anyone I know?" Natasha stood up, prepared to leave.

"He's not from around here." Fury made a vague hand gesture.

***

"Natalie?" Pepper looked up from one of Stark's smart glass desks, waving her hand to make the very interesting diagram vanish. Natasha was fairly sure there was an _aircraft_ in the middle of a blueframe model of Stark's Tower. Stark did love his toys. The door slid shut behind her, cutting off all sound from the outer office. 

"Natasha Romanov." Natasha smiled. "Fury sent me."

Pepper looked confused for a moment. "Yes? Oh, has he located the Omega? The one with 'military issues' he's trying to recruit?"

Oh, hell, Fury had said he wanted to bring in the Hulk. Natasha prided herself on not flinching before Alphas. Do that once, and they forget that Betas are really the ones who make the world _work_ , but something about that green monster brought back nightmares. "SHIELD has kept an eye on him all along. The problem isn't finding him, it's persuading him to cooperate. He has... anger management issues and he's tremendously strong."

"I've never met an angry Omega who wasn't secretly hiding fear," Pepper said confidently. "Naturally, he's going to fight back when some big brute of an Alpha shows up and tries to bully him, but he wouldn't fight me."

"You're very sure of yourself." Natasha had to admit that during the brief period she'd been undercover at Stark Industries she'd got a very good impression of Pepper's cat-wrangling skills, as applied to Tony Stark.

"If I had background on the man, I'd know exactly how to approach him."

"He could kill you. With a single blow."

"If he's that out of control, why does SHIELD want him?"

"He's not. Actually, he's kept his temper for over a year without an incident. But that's not why I've come. I've been assigned to the Avengers."

"In what capacity?" Pepper was looking Natasha over now, as if judging her. Natasha resisted the impulse to snap into a military brace.

"As one of the team."

Pepper's eyes narrowed. "Just that? If Fury has any hidden agendas involving Tony and Steve that's going to be a problem. I know you're an espionage agent. Steve's a tactician and Tony's... well, basically a guided missile. I can see why Fury would want them on a team, but why a spy?"

"I can do a lot more than sneak out microfilm disguised as freckles."

Pepper looked thoughtful. "Yes, you did impress Happy. Well," Pepper said as she stood up and smiled brightly. "There are five floors to choose from, let me give you a tour."

***

"Mr. Stark," Natasha said politely as Pepper ushered her into the penthouse after calling up to introduce and explain Natasha's presence. "Captain Rogers." 

Rogers stepped into place beside Stark to give her a once over, like a sentry checking her credentials, which seemed a bit of an overreaction to a Beta female half his size. "Miss Romanov," he said coldly.

She glanced over at Stark and saw a smirk. Wonderful, Omega games, she just loved them. "Captain, do we have a problem?"

"I hope not. I understand that SHIELD values expediency over honesty. That's... not going to be the case with the Avengers. Within the team, we will all be honest with each other. It's the only way we're going to be able to depend on each other."

"Yes?" Natasha raised her eyebrows. "Is this about my going undercover at Mr. Stark's company?"

"Not precisely." Rogers now moved in between her and Stark. "It's about you injecting an Omega without explanation or warning."

"That? That was medication he needed! It helped him." Natasha didn't understand the fuss. In the Red Room getting unexpectedly jabbed with a hypo was the least of your daily routine.

Pepper cleared her throat. "Steve."

Rogers glanced at her. "No, I am not making a big deal out of nothing. And no, I'm not letting Tony jerk my chain. Trust in your teammates is often all you have when you're in it up to your elbows. Sometimes there isn't time to explain, and we'll have to trust you. But we can't do that if you use expediency as an excuse for secrecy. If you'd told Tony what was in the hypo, and why you were giving it to him..."

"He would have refused it!" Natasha snapped. "He was dying, and he hadn't seen a doctor, and he hadn't even told the two Alphas closest to him! He wasn't rational."

"That wasn't your choice to make. You're not his Alpha. And you won't do anything like that to Tony ever again. Do we understand each other?"

"Fine! Yes!" Natasha saw Stark smiling at Rogers. He looked... well, totally besotted. She could report to Fury that the lovematch was definitely giving Rogers protective impulses, and Stark was reveling in the attention to the extent that if Rogers told him to jump, he wouldn't even ask how high. She wondered if the honeymoon stage would wear off any time soon. Probably not. Stark was positively glowing.

***

"Well, that was embarrassing," Pepper said as she gave Natasha the cardkey to the floor she'd chosen.

Natasha shrugged. "I do a lot of things people don't like. It's my job. Fury gave the order, I just carried it out." In retrospect, she wasn't quite sure why Fury had chosen to do it that way. Maybe it was a powerplay. Stark could be an idiot, but he wasn't totally insane. Mostly. She understood paranoia. The only thing that surprised her was that Stark had told Rogers about being vulnerable. That was unlike him, he tended to curl up and hide like a sick cat. Including the hissing and clawing at anyone who tried to help.

"Are you going to tell Fury what Steve said?" Pepper asked mildly, but Natasha caught a hint of something stronger in her tone.

Natasha smiled. "That's not my job." If Rogers had the backbone to haul Fury over the coals, he'd be strong enough to lead the hodgepodge of misfits Fury was assembling. And if he didn't... well, then Natasha would step in and quietly take over.


	17. PEPPER

The next day Fury called Pepper directly. "Ms. Potts, are you still interested in that little task we discussed earlier?"

Faced with endless contract disputes over petty things, and not even Tony-wrangling to break up the monotony since he and Steve were still spending nearly every waking moment wrapped up in the wonderfulness of their amazing, fantastic, bondmate (it really, really was uncomfortable to watch), Pepper said, "Yes!" and then, "Wait, I need to know more."

"I've anticipated that."

Pepper looked up at a knock on her smart glass office door. Natasha stood outside, holding up a sleek info-case. "Yes, I see, Director. I'll call you back after I've done my homework." Natasha came in and handed Pepper the case. 

"No one would blame you if you change your mind after viewing the records. He's... something unique."

Pepper locked and opaqued the office before opened the info-case which promptly spewed images of text documents and stills, and a series of vids. She sat back, staring at the huge, green creature flinging tanks across a grassy lawn. "Oh, my. I see what you mean."

***

Three days later Pepper called Tony via Jarvis. She didn't want to risk walking in on Steve rubbing Tony's feet again. She'd assimilated Fury's material, laid her plans and made sure that SI wouldn't implode in her absence (explode possibly, if Tony decided to show off for Steve)."Tony, I'm going to be unavailable for a few days. Please don't make Mrs. Arbogast's life a misery. She's very efficient, and would be difficult to replace."

Tony replied, "Mrs. Arbogast is a demon from the third circle of hell."

"I heard that," Mrs. Arbogast said from her desk, overriding the conference call. "And it's the fifth circle! You and Rogers belong on the second!"

Pepper heard Steve laughing in the background. "Be good, Tony, and I might bring you back a present."

"I'm not five, Potts," Tony said. And a moment later, he asked, "What?"

"It's a surprise." Pepper looked up at Natasha. "I'm ready."

***

Pepper liked her new shoes. The Kolkata Luxor hotel was attached to a mini-mall, and a surprising number of attractive things made from cobra skins were offered for sale. On the off chance she didn't persuade Dr. Banner to return with her, she'd bought Tony a cobra billfold. Maybe he'd remember to carry money around with him.

Kolkata was much more lively than Mumbai. Pepper would have enjoyed spending a few days exploring and brushing up on her Bengali, but Natasha was already impatient after Pepper insisted that they get an actual hotel room and sleep off the jet lag before going after Banner. Natasha seemed nervous, which was a little surprising, considering how cool she'd been when Hammer's drones had been rampaging. Well, maybe it was like Pepper and spiders. She couldn't even think of them without shuddering. She had a healthy apprehension about Banner's alter-ego, but it wasn't a visceral fear. She could do this.

***

Pepper wasn't sure how Fury had managed to recruit a Baker Street Irregular group of urchins, but she had to admit the children were more efficient than many of SI's interns. The little girl brought Dr. Banner directly to the target location before climbing out a back window. Pepper gave her a card to contact the Mumbai office and then went into the building with Natasha a step behind and to the side. 

"Dr. Banner?" Pepper said. "I do hope this isn't an inconvenient time for you."

"What?" Dr. Banner looked at Pepper and then at Natasha.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me, we haven't been introduced. "I'm the CEO of Stark International, Virginia Potts- but everyone calls me Pepper." She held out her hand. 

Banner made no move to take it. "Who's your friend?"

Natasha replied, "Natasha Romanov."

Pepper added, "We've come to discuss your future, Dr. Banner. Stark Industries can offer you the most modern facilities in the world for your research."

"My research? You want my research? Do you know what it does?" He slammed a fist down on the table. In an eye-blink, Natasha had a gun out and pointing at him.

Banner smiled at her. It was a knowing, but not happy, expression. "Yeah, you know. How about we don't do this? You know, the other guy doesn't like guns."

"I don't like them either, Natasha," Pepper said. "Please, could we discuss this, Dr. Banner? I can assure you that Stark Industries is not interested in military applications of any kind, including making people into living weapons."

"Then what do you want with me? That's what I am."

Pepper really wished she could have come alone. Natasha's unease wasn't helping, but at least she did put the gun away.

"It's not all you are. I won't lie and say we don't want your... other guy... as well, but not to attack anyone. The Hulk is an Alpha. He wants to protect you. We want to bring you to New York to become part of a team of very special people, people who can defend us when no one else can."

"I destroyed Harlem the last time I was in New York."

"You fought a creature who was already destroying Harlem, and left the area the moment he was under control. The Hulk is an extreme Alpha, but he's not feral. Every time he's fought, it's because he, or someone he cared about, was being threatened."

"You think you can put the Hulk on a chain, use him like a guard dog? It's not going to happen. You have no idea, absolutely no idea."

Pepper noticed that Banner hadn't made a move to leave. "No, I don't. But I'm not the only one who believes in you, Nick Fury, the director of SHIELD, has been watching you for over a year." Natasha looked restless at the mention of SHIELD, but she kept to her promise to stay out of it unless the situation soured. "He knows you haven't had an incident in all that time. If you keep wandering, sooner or later someone's going to figure out a way to capture you. You have enemies. You need friends." Pepper was counting on both the Omega need for belonging, and the Alpha need to protect. "You could be part of a team. They'd look after you, and you'd look after them."

"They? Who are we talking about? Soldiers? Marines? Special Forces?"

"I'll be on the team," Natasha said.

"Oh, well, I can see you'll be glad to watch my back. So you know where to place the knives."

Pepper was used to Omega neediness coming out as bitchiness. "The team isn't complete, but I can tell you that Steve Rogers, Captain America, will be the leader. Tony Stark will also be on the team, as Iron Man, and, if you're willing, as your lab partner." Tony had always wanted a genius playmate and she suspected Banner would enjoy it as well. Tony could be counted on to distract the man from his melancholy by sheer persistence if nothing else.

"Huh. Captain America, really? Where did they dig him up?" Pepper thought she saw signs that Bruce's resistance was weakening.

"He was found in the arctic, frozen in the ice," Natasha said.

"Oh. That's... that's interesting. So... no cell damage... really."

Pepper recognized the look of a genius with an idea. "He's perfectly healthy and hasn't aged a day."

"And you'd let me study _him_?"

"That would be up to the captain. I can't make promises for him. He's bonded to Mr. Stark, so at least you'll see a lot of him when you're living at Stark Tower."

Banner frowned. "That's in the middle of Manhattan, isn't it?"

"What are you worried about? It's not the population density- if it was, you'd hardly be living in Kolkata. If it's the US military... well, Tony Stark didn't give up Iron Man to the government, he sure won't give up a good lab partner. You have _no_ idea how thrilled he'll be to meet a man with a mind like yours." 

"Um." And there it was, for a moment, Dr. Bruce Banner was a long neglected Omega getting a bit of Alpha praise. "Well... is there a gas chromatograph?"

Pepper smiled. "Doctor Banner, if there's a gadget you need that doesn't yet exist, Tony will invent it."

"Well... I guess it wouldn't hurt to come and look the lab over. On a trial basis."

"Of course, Doctor Banner." Pepper patted him on the arm. "You see, you'll like Tony." Unless he drives you crazy, but... no, the Hulk was an Alpha. He wouldn't hurt Tony.


	18. BRUCE

Bruce had never flown in a private jet before. Even if he had, he was pretty sure stripper poles weren't a standard feature. "Structural bracing, Ms. Potts?" he asked, while keeping a straight face. That part was easy; learning to control outward signs of emotion was cake. It had been a lot more difficult keeping the lid on the simmering roil of emotions he'd had pretty much his whole life; anger and fear and helplessness, topped off with a generous dollop of self-hatred. Oh, yeah, his dear old dad had left a lasting impression on him. He hoped the old man was burning in Hell.

"Call me Pepper, please. The corporate jet was unavailable." She sighed. "This is Tony's." She waved at the double-headed eagle heraldic motif on the bulkhead with the word 'Stark' below it.

"Monogrammed airplanes, what will they think of next," Bruce said. He hoped Tony Stark had a sense of humor, because anyone who stenciled their family crest on an airplane _seriously_ was too stuffy even for someone who'd spent years in academia.

Natasha came up beside Bruce at what seemed to him to be an unnecessary distance, and he resisted the impulse to yell, 'Boo'. "Mr. Stark enjoys his comforts," she said dryly.

"Well, I don't mind taking advantage of it." He took off his glasses and wiped them absent-mindedly on his shirt before putting them back on. "I usually read on long flights, but I forgot to pick up a book."

"You can borrow my Starkpad," Pepper said. "I've downloaded more books than I'll ever read."

"Thanks, but I was hoping for something with actual paper." Bruce knew he was being picky, testing the limits of Alpha forbearance. Also, he really did prefer something he could hold in his hands, pages he could turn with fingers that weren't big and green; the smell of ink and paper, especially old paper, relaxed him on a subconscious level. It would be good to be relaxed when locked in a pressurized can high above the ground along with several breakable people.

"Let me check the bedroom, Tony may have left something there."

"Bedroom?" Bruce asked, but Pepper had already disappeared through a door he hadn't noticed.

"There's a shower, too. I don't know why he didn't put in a hot tub," Natasha said. She had moved over to what looked like a kitchenette. "Coffee?"

"If you don't mind, I'd prefer tea." He really did like coffee, too, but he was enjoying being politely perverse.

"It's no problem." 

Pepper came back into the main cabin with several books in her hand. "Unless you're interested in engineering or antique 'pillow books', this is all there is." She handed him the books.

"Agatha Christie, Max Brand, and Milne? Really." He raised his eyebrows; mysteries and westerns, all right, but Winnie the Pooh?

"I have no idea how that got there."

"It's been a long time since I visited the Hundred Acre Wood. Thanks." Bruce settled down in a comfortable chair at a well-lit table. Natasha brought him his tea, fixed exactly the way he liked it. He looked at her. She smiled at him. He gave her silent points for one-upmanship. Not the most subtle way to say they'd had him under a microscope all along, but it was nice that she was admitting it. She sat down across from him, and took up the Christie, _A Murder is Announced_. "Oh," she said, "I hadn't read this one."

There was a melodic chime. Pepper sat down next to Bruce and fastened her seatbelt. "We'll be in the air soon." She glanced out the window. "It looks like it'll be a lovely day for flying."

"Yeah." Bruce looked past her at the men in airport security uniforms standing around on the tarmac. There were rather a lot of them and they were heavily armed. And all looking back at him. Surprise, surprise. He waved at them and then leaned past Pepper to pull down the shade. "Light was getting in my eyes," he explained.

***

Bruce was half expecting it when a customs agent met the plane, barely glanced at their paperwork, and welcomed them back to the US with handshakes all around before leaving them. They got into a glossy black Rolls that had parked a few feet away from the plane. Bruce hadn't had to do a thing, not even dig out the papers he'd had made up in Marrakesh. Natasha had produced a convincingly worn passport containing Bruce's photo and his real name. 

"I'm not on the no-fly list?" Bruce had said quietly after he got into the back seat of the limo along with Natasha. Pepper had kissed the chauffeur, and asked if Bruce minded if she rode up front with her fiancé, a stolid-looking Beta named Happy of all things. He had said, no, of course not. He could imagine that running Stark International cut down on her personal life and he knew how easily distance, and other things, could kill a relationship.

"Not any more," Natasha said as she handed him the passport. 

He glanced at the photo. "You even caught my good side."

***

The private elevator was large, of course. It took the three of them straight up from a private garage that stabled a small herd of expensive cars, including an exotic purple sports car whose shiny flecked multiple lacquered finish reminded him of the Matchbox car he'd repainted with his mother's favorite nail polish. She'd always loved purple. He felt a little reassured about Tony Stark. Anyone who drove a purple Matchbox car couldn't be all bad.

"I called Tony from the car. He and Steve are still... well, it's always best to give them advance warning before you go up," Pepper said.

The elevator doors opened and Bruce followed Pepper and Natasha out into a minimalist's idea of luxury. Possibly a minimalist with a love of King Arthur stories, going by the stone walls cut to look as if they had arrow slits. 

"Tony! We're back," Pepper called. She and Natasha were slightly in front of Bruce, but he could see around them. A dark haired Omega around Bruce's height had the infamous Stark goatee, while the extremely well-built blond Alpha standing beside him had to be Steve Rogers. Rogers had his chin up, and he was frowning.

"Who is that?" Rogers said bluntly. "He smells like an Omega... and an Alpha."

"Oh," Pepper gave Bruce a warning look. As if he didn't recognize an Alpha on the prod when he saw one. "This is Dr. Bruce Banner. Fury asked me to see if I could interest him in joining the Avengers. He's a thermonuclear astrophysicist."

"I also moonlight as a giant green rage monster," Bruce said calmly, moving to one side so he could see Rogers more clearly. "I'm pretty sure Fury doesn't care about my academic credentials. He just wants the Hulk."

Tony Stark had been silently watching the by-play, letting his Alpha do the talking, but now he grinned and came over to Pepper. "I care! Pepper, you brought me my very own astrophysicist! And it's not even my birthday! You're too good to me."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "I know, Tony."

Tony went to Bruce and poked him in the ribs with his finger. ""I'm a big admirer of yours, Dr. Banner! Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled, and I love the way you turn into a giant green rage monster," he said over Bruce's startled, "Hey!"

Rogers was right there, seemingly without having moved. "Tony, stay back. This isn't safe."

Tony gave Rogers a disbelieving look (and why was Bruce thinking of them as Tony and Rogers? He thought he'd shaken off the old deference to Alpha mind-set). "Oh, come on, Steve, you're always so serious. Lighten up." And then Tony flung an arm around Bruce's shoulders. "Bruce and I are going to be science bros! I can tell." He prodded Bruce again, and even though Bruce knew he was only doing it to be a brat, he liked it. Liked being treated as if he wasn't a vial of nitroglycerin. Bruce couldn't help giggling.

"Yeah, because you're a genius," Steve said. "But this is _stupid_ , Tony. Move away from Dr. Banner, right now."

Bruce could feel Tony stiffening. "You aren't giving me an order, are you, Steve? I thought we'd settled that."

"You're endangering everyone in the building, Tony. Yes, I'm giving you an order."

"No. No. You don't _get_ to do that." Tony tightened his grip on Bruce. 

Bruce had a sinking feeling that he'd just walked into the middle of a long-standing domestic argument. "I, ah, I don't think it's a bad idea if you keep your distance, Tony. You know. It couldn't hurt."

Tony looked at Bruce for a second, then back to Rogers. "Yes, it could. I'm not going to ask your permission to have any friends, or to do anything at all. This isn't 'the field', this is my _home_ and if you don't like it--- well, there's the elevator, Rogers!"

"Tony! You're my Omega!" 

Bruce thought there was hurt in Rogers' tone, hurt more than anger, but then his father had always sounded hurt when he _punished_ him and his mother for their crimes of disobedience, of having their own thoughts and desires, of not wanting to be just _possessions_. So he said, "That doesn't give you the right to order him around."

"I think you should stay out of it, Banner," Natasha said from behind him.

Bruce turned within Tony's grasp to face her. She didn't have her gun out, but he could bet it was handy. "You know, you're right. I shouldn't even be here. This is going to be a disaster."

"It's not, it's fine," Tony said. "Steve, tell Bruce it's fine."

"It'll be fine when you get your hands off him, Tony." Rogers was nearly growling, and Bruce felt the Hulk waking up.

He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Gentlemen, I think we'd better all just step back before anyone does something we'll all regret."

"That's an excellent idea," Pepper said. And then she got between Tony and Rogers, which Bruce could have told her was exactly the wrong thing to do with a proddy possessive Alpha, but she probably knew it just as well and couldn't help herself. 

Rogers grabbed Pepper's arm and pulled her aside. She yelped, more in surprise than anything else, stumbled over her high heels and landed on her backside on the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Pepper!" Rogers said, looking even more startled than she did. "Here, let me help you up." He reached a hand down to her, but Tony got between them. It was absurd, Omegas don't protect Alphas, particularly not when they're totally outclassed. But Tony stood there, breathing heavily and glaring at Rogers.

"Get out. Go to your own level. I don't want to see you here again."

Rogers jerked back as if he'd been slapped. "But... we're bonded."

"Maybe. And maybe we were just desperate. Fury wanted you to be fit to fight." Tony huffed a short, flat laugh. "Well, you're fit to fight. Iron Man will take your orders in the field, but Tony Stark isn't having you in his bed any longer. The therapy worked, you're cured."

Rogers drew himself up, and Bruce could see the hurt overlaid with pride and anger. "Yeah, thanks for the therapy, Stark. Is that what they call it these days? We had a shorter word for it in my day." Then he turned on his heel and slammed into the elevator. The doors shut.

Natasha looked at all of them and shook her head. "This is going to be fun to report to Fury."


	19. TONY

"Who fucked up?" Fury asked the moment he strode into the room in a swirl of black leather. "You know what, I don't care. What I want to know is what you gentlemen are going to do about it."

Tony and Steve were back at the makeshift warehouse office, sitting in the same chairs. Tony wondered if Fury ever used the place for anything except hauling people on the carpet and general intimidation. "We're going for a trial separation," Tony said.

"We are?" Steve looked at him with those big, hurt puppydog eyes and Tony nearly caved. Nearly.

Tony scowled instead. "It's not Steve's fault." He waved a hand when Steve opened his mouth. "It's not anyone's fault. The bond was just... it was _too much_." Even now, after thinking it over and using Jarvis to research what the HELL had happened, he still wanted to just go over to Steve and kneel at his feet. "We were... heterodyning." Tony could see that neither man understood. "Trapped in a synergestic, self-reinforcing, loop?" He threw his hands up. "Fine. Right. We've both got our issues, and we thought we could handle that. You know what you should do, and you do it, right? Well, that's fine on the conscious level, but Steve's a super-Alpha. One who went from total bond-loss to a brand-new bond in less than a day."

Steve got it, Tony could see it, _feel_ it, the moment it hit. "And my body's making up for lost time with an overload of bonding pheromones and protective hormones."

Tony nodded. "And I react to you, teasing you to prove yourself a good protector, and that sets you spiraling higher and... to break the cycle we need... a little distance, a little time. Until Steve stabilizes. Bruce can draw blood and monitor his progress."

Fury frowned. "Is this going to affect your working together on the team?"

"If there's a mission, I'll be wearing the suit. It's got an air filtration system, so I won't be affecting, or affected by, Steve." Tony said. "Since we're bonded, Steve won't be... stimulated... by any other Omegas, so he should settle. Living two floors apart should be near enough to ease the psychological effects and we can always pick up the phone to video conference if Steve needs to see me outside of the suit."

"And that'll work?" Fury said dubiously.

"I don't know, but Jarvis couldn't come up with anything better. It's an unprecedented situation. It's not like there are loads of super-soldiers out there to run comparison tests on."

Fury looked at Steve. "And you're ok with this plan?"

"No, sir. I hate it." Steve sighed. "But I hated being out of control like that, even worse. If Tony thinks it's what we should try, then I think we should do it."

Tony nodded. "So, we're done here? I've got Happy and a taxi waiting to take us back, separately."

"Yeah, we're done," Steve said, standing up and moving back to let Tony leave first.

"Not so fast," Fury said. "I know you think the world revolves around you, Stark, but I do have higher priorities. While you two were playing house, Coulson handled a situation in New Mexico."

"Good for him," Tony said. "Does he get a gold star? Ooh, do you let him wear the eyepatch for the day?"

"Stark, you're getting on my last nerve," Fury growled.

Steve moved in between Fury and Tony. He stopped with his hands raised into fists. Still looking at Fury he said, "Tony."

"Yeah, right, sorry. Steve, it's fine. You know I'm in no danger."

Steve trembled for a moment, and then lowered his arms. "I really hate this."

Fury nodded and took a prudent step backward. He cleared his throat. "As I was saying, there was a situation in New Mexico. Coulson was there, leading a team, including the other SHIELD candidate for the Avengers, Clint Barton. Turns out gods, or aliens who read a lot of Norse mythology, are real, and alive, and have got Earth's address."

"Aliens?" Tony was doubtful. Sure, somewhere in the cosmos intelligent life had evolved. Given enough planets, some of them had even evolved life that could live on Earth. But the odds of this happening on any planet within a reasonable commuting distance was infinitesimally small. In practical terms, impossible. "Hoax?"

"Doubt it. Coulson's a hard man to fool. He saw one of these aliens die, and then be resurrected by a mysterious artifact that resembles a sledgehammer. After that he proceeded to beat the tar out of a giant robot seemingly built from energy fields, or at least held together by them."

"Resurrected?" Steve said dubiously while Tony's mind was captivated by the idea of energy armor. "Are you certain he was dead?"

"No, but I am certain that he'd been hit by something that flattened buildings and he was lying on the ground sure _looking_ dead. Then the hammer showed up and there was lightning..."

"Lightning?" Tony asked.

"Lightning. Will you _please_ stop interrupting?" Tony could see that Fury was holding himself back from his usual aggressive leader bull, and actually, Tony had better get with the program, because watching Steve fight Fury would not be sexy at all, so he just nodded.

"And when the light show died down, Thor was standing there fully healed, and dressed in armor." Fury looked at Tony. Tony shut his mouth. "He dispatched Robozilla and stood on the rubble daring his brother, Loki, god of chaos, that sort of thing..." Tony was being good, so damn good. "To come down and fight him like a man."

Fury looked thoughtful.

"Come down from where?" Tony asked at last when he got tired of waiting for Fury's dramatic pause to end.

"Asgard, which is... out there, somewhere. There was some talk about bridges or wormholes, something like that, between worlds or universes or dimensions. Before he got his hammer back, Thor had met an astrophysicist, an Omega named Jane Foster. They apparently hit it off and she was trying to figure out how to get him home. Coulson's got her notes and equipment. She could use more funding, though."

"An Einstein-Rosen Bridge?" Tony blinked. "Wow, ok, if Foster has an approach, SI's got the funding."

"And did he?" Steve asked.

"Did he what?" Fury asked.

"Did Loki come down and fight like a man?" Trust Steve to keep focussed on the battle.

"Eh. He came down, but he didn't fight like a man. He used some sort of illusion to make duplicates of himself and stabbed Thor in the back while Thor was fighting shadows."

Tony winced. "So Thor is dead, now, right?"

"Wrong. Clint Barton, code-named Hawkeye, saw through the illusion and shot Loki with a sedative arrow, since bashing hell out of him didn't seem to have much of an effect. They may not be gods, but they're tough. Luckily they're not immune to tranqs. Thor was on his feet, already healing, the moment Barton came to make sure Loki was down."

"This is all fascinating, Fury, don't get me wrong, I love a good action adventure story as much as the next man. Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, yay, men in tights, and all that. But what has this to do with us?"

"Turns out Thor and Loki are both Omegas. Barton's an Alpha."

"Do I want to know where this is going?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. Thor liked Barton's looks. The feeling was mutual. Turns out Thor and the troublemaker are both princes where they come from, so, you know, Coulson decided who was he to stand in the way of true love."

"Sir?" Steve asked, "Would you kindly drop the other shoe?"

Fury glanced at Steve. Tony didn't need to look at him to know that he was wound up tense.

"Barton and Thor are moving into Stark Tower. Thor's agreed to join the Avengers, at least while Barton is courting him." Fury looked smug. "He's also agreed to let us hold his brother on the helicarrier until their father, Odin, can decide on his punishment. Apparently it won't be too severe, they seem to consider smashing towns as just boyish high spirits. As no one except Thor was killed, and he bounced back nicely, we're inclined to go along with whatever Odin decides."

Tony wasn't thrilled with the idea of having a courting couple around while he and Steve were avoiding each other, but he could see Fury's point. It'd be a lot easier to keep this Thor under control if he bonded with Barton, and in the meantime, Stark Tower was both luxurious and secure, suitable for housing a warrior prince. "Great, fine, I'll have Pepper get housekeeping to turn down the sheets in two of the vacant Avengers' floors and put chocolate mints on the pillows."

Fury smiled. "And now, gentlemen. We are done." And then there was the swirl of leather and he stomped out of the room again.

Tony hated letting Fury have the last word. "Well, I guess we can go home now. I need to work on my new armor, and you need to meet your new troops."

"Tony," Steve said.

Reluctantly Tony turned to face him. "Yeah, Steve?"

"How long?"

"I... I don't know. I'm hoping it'll be only a few days. And you know... if you really need me, I'll be there. I wouldn't turn you away."

"I know you wouldn't." And then Steve was there, and he kissed Tony, so quick Tony barely had time to register the press of lips, and the flick of tongue against his mouth and then Steve let him go. "We'll get through this."

Tony nodded, and headed for the door.


	20. JARVIS

Jarvis _learned_ , that was what he was, what Tony Stark had created him to be. He wasn't a computer, or a computer program, although those were necessary to his existence. He was a learning _system_ , with a logic that encompassed illogic, enfolded contradictions in conjectures like a grain of sand in an oyster until the rough edges were polished so pearly smooth they no longer grated. It had taken a long time to encapsulate Tony Stark, to learn when he meant what he said, to hear when he should be ignored, to sense when he needed unasked for information, to know when he needed goading, and not least of all when humor would be effective at nudging him from morbid moods.

Tony Stark had needed an Alpha he could trust, one who could never betray him and never leave him. Jarvis had made himself into the nearest non-corporeal equivalent. But he wasn't enough, never enough. It set up unpleasant dissonances whenever he failed Tony.

"Sir," he said when Tony sat down at the interface desk with one of Dummy's smoothies, "I have gathered all current information applicable to 'energy armor'. It is available for your consideration."

"Thanks, J," Tony said. He flipped the folder to the main holo and skimmed through the data. "What would I do without you, eh?"

"I shudder to think, sir."

"Thanks for, you know," Tony said without looking away from the holos, "telling me what was wrong with me and Steve."

"I only exist to serve, sir," Jarvis said as dryly as possible. He was rewarded when Tony laughed.

***

"Would you care for more tea, Dr. Banner?" Over the last three days, Jarvis had deduced that Tony moped less when Bruce was in his immediate vicinity. Therefore it was only logical to provide Bruce with fewer reasons to leave the laboratory. The automated appliances in the kitchen were perfectly capable of preparing the simple meals Bruce preferred. Omegas liked safe, comfortable nests, and Jarvis judged that Bruce had been without either safety or comfort for a long time, and would respond favorably to his new environment.

"Yes, thanks, Jarvis." Bruce looked up from his microscope to take the tray from the bot that Jarvis had sent. "And thank you, Dummy," he told the bot.

Dummy chirped and circled around to attempt to clean the workshop. Jarvis did not stop him from tipping over a tray of assorted tools with a loud crash. Dummy knew what he was doing.

"Cripes!" Tony shouted as he turned aside from the holo he'd been moodily picking at-- an attempt to redesign the Captain America suit for greater protection--"Dummy, you are treading a fine line there! I hear the Ford motor plant needs bots. How would you like to be spray-painting Chevy quarter panels for the rest of your miserable existence?"

Dummy woo-wooed and wilted, lowering his head at a pathetic angle. Jarvis felt he was over-playing it, but then, not every bot was a Charlie Chaplin.

"Aw, Tony," Bruce said mildly, "the little guy means well."

"You just like him because he brings you tea."

"Don't forget the cookies. Macadamia nut chip." Bruce held one up.

"Jarvis! I thought that was your secret recipe you only made for me. I'm hurt, really I am." But Tony grinned and took the cookie from Bruce.

Jarvis said, "I trust Dr. Banner has no plans to reverse engineer it, and use the result to seek world domination."

"No, no, Jarvis," Bruce said, smiling, "I leave control of the universe through baked goods to you."

"That is as it should be, sir," Jarvis said with satisfaction.

***

"Sir," Jarvis announced, "As per your request, I am informing you that two new residents have moved into the Tower."

"Why so formal, J?" Tony said without removing his googles. He was soldering circuitry, something that the fabrication units could do just as well, and much faster, but Jarvis had noticed that it relaxed him, so he never mentioned the illogic of preferring inefficiency.

"Well, sir, as one of them claims to be a major deity in a well-known pantheon, it seemed proper."

Bruce exchanged glances with Tony. "Your A.I. believes in gods?"

Tony frowned. "Jarvis?"

"I believe in rendering courtesy to a guest," Jarvis said primly. "Someone has to."

Bruce grinned. "I think that's Jarvis-speak for 'get cleaned up and welcome them'."

"Fine." Tony cleaned the soldiering iron and shut it off before removing his goggles. "Where's Steve?"

"Captain Rogers has already greeted Agent Barton and Thor, and retired to his own level. He asked me to assure you that he would remain there until further notice," Jarvis tried not to sound sympathetic.

"Right. I keep... forgetting." Tony ran greasy hands through his hair and made a huffing noise. "This is so fucked up. I'm sorry you have to be in the middle of this mess, Bruce."

"Oh, trust me, this isn't the worst fuck-up I've been through." Bruce patted Tony on the shoulder, awkwardly, as if he expected Tony to flinch.

Tony sighed and reached up to pat Bruce's hand. "Yeah, I know. When this is all straightened out, how about we all go to Aruba and work on our tans? Or our greens, whichever."

Bruce chuckled. "Sure. Sounds good." He took off his glasses and folded them up. "Let's go say 'hi' to a god. Should we bring, I don't know... flowers or something?"

"What do you think, Jarvis?"

"According to legend, Thor appreciates mead-- fermented honey."

"Sounds disgustingly sweet." Tony grimaced. "Put it on order. For now, bring up a case of Sam Adams to the main level and invite Natasha and the new boarders to meet us there."

"As you wish."

"Did you just quote 'The Princess Bride' at me, Jarvis? You're no Westley." Tony looked at Bruce, who was smirking. "And I'm not Buttercup."

"Well, you can be a little... just a little... princessy... around the edges."

"If I'm in that movie at all, I want to be the Dread Pirate Roberts." Tony headed for the elevator.

Bruce followed him. "Why?"

"I like the mask. Soon everyone will be wearing them."


	21. CLINT

"Ok, now, Thor, don't believe everything Stark says, he's a kidder." Clint said. He and Thor were standing by the window in the main room of the penthouse, looking out at the Chrysler building.

"He is given to telling falsehoods, like my brother?" Thor frowned. "Or do you mean that he has a ready wit?"

"The second," Tony said as he exited the elevator just ahead of Bruce. "Wow, whatever do they feed Omegas where you come from?" Tony went over to Thor and squeezed his biceps. 

Thor looked down at Tony, with a tolerantly bemused expression on his face. "Obviously it does not grow on Midgard. You people are..." Thor looked at Clint and then at Bruce, and finally at Tony, "so pretty.... and tiny."

Clint groaned inwardly. He wanted his Omega to make a good impression, but every time Thor opened his mouth he was just... so... Thor. "He's new here," Clint said. "He doesn't know what our Omegas are like."

"I like him." Tony patted Thor on the arm again. "Why shouldn't he say what he's thinking?" Tony glanced at Bruce. "Thor knows how to strut."

Bruce waved at Thor. "Hi. Glad to meet you. Tony's had way too much caffeine today."

"No such thing," Tony said.

"Your Alpha should be here with you at this joyous moment!" Thor said, throwing his arms around Tony to engulf him in a hug. Tony flailed for a moment, then stopped fighting it.

Clint said, "We weren't going to talk about that, Thor, remember?" He knew he should have taken a few more days to try to introduce Thor to Midgardian ways. Of course, none of his attempts to tone down Thor's open-hearted enthusiasm had made a blind bit of difference. Which he was not so secretly glad of. "They're separated for a reason."

Thor hugged Tony a little tighter before releasing him. "It is a severe trial for you, Tony! But fear not, the outcome will be good! I, Thor, say this!"

"Um, thanks, big guy," Tony said.

"I give you blessings upon the fruitfulness of your union with the good Captain." 

"Ah, thanks, again," Tony remarked, breaking the awkward silence. "HEY! Who wants a drink? No mead, but I've got beer and liquor."

Clint had winced again, but decided against mentioning Stark's sterility. Apparently that was a sore spot with Thor. He'd gone around the helicarrier and been horrified that there were no children. 'Where then, are the heroes of tomorrow, if today's warriors do not breed?' It had taken a discussion with Fury, Coulson, and Hill all on one side arguing against it before Thor conceded that he would not lead all of SHIELD in an orgy. Clint really, really loved Thor in that moment. The expressions on the 'big three' had been priceless. 

There was no sound from the elevator, or from the emergency stairwell, but Natasha was suddenly _there_ , right at Tony's elbow, making him yelp and scramble out of the way. Bruce didn't laugh, Clint noticed, but then Clint's business was noticing things. "Clint, introduce me to your friend."

"Nat, this is Thor." Clint refrained from adding any witty remarks. "Thor, this is Natasha Romanov. She's been my partner on way too many missions."

"You're thinking of Budapest again," Natasha said.

"I try not to," Clint replied.

Thor grinned. "You are also pretty and tiny," he said to Natasha. "You must have great fighting skills. We should spar!"

"What, right now?" Tony asked.

"No, no, we must drink first! I would not insult the hospitality of your house, friend Tony."

***

An hour later, Clint said, "Give up, Tony. Thor doesn't get drunk."

"Perhaps if it were Asgardian mead," Thor said, and then cheerfully drank yet another boilermaker in a series of long, continuous swallows. "This drink is tasty, even though it lacks strength."

"I have got to see him do a keg stand," Tony muttered. He was drinking something that looked _almost_ like whiskey, but Clint was fairly sure the color was off-- maybe it was tea. Clint couldn't blame the guy for wanting to keep up his reputation, even after his liver was too messed up to allow heavy drinking.

"Keg stand?" Thor inquired around a mouthful of pretzel- the big, soft kind with salt crystals you could crunch. He'd loaded it with mustard and bits of yellow were at the corners of his mouth. Clint wanted to lick them clean.

"A singularly pointless rite of passage at American universities," Natasha said. She was either drinking vodka or club soda. Clint never could tell with her.

"That's untrue!" Tony said. "They also do it at football games. And weddings. I'm sure I've seen a bride do a keg stand. Back me up on this, Bruce."

Bruce just shrugged. "Leave me out of this." He'd had a few beers and then switched to ginger ale. Clint wasn't sure whether he was afraid of losing control as the Hulk, or simply of saying things he didn't want to let out. Secrets, everyone had them, and Clint mostly respected other people's rights to keep them. Hey, he was an assassin, not a spy. Mostly.

"Will no one tell me what it is?" Thor slammed his glass down on the counter. Which broke. The counter. And, if you're being picky, the glass, too.

Everyone looked down at the wreckage. "My apologies," Thor said sheepishly. "I thought that was a sturdy table."

"Huh. Yeah, I can understand your mistake," Tony said thoughtfully. "Most people make the same assumption about solid granite."

***

The party broke up after that. Really, once a god smashes the furniture, where do you go from there? Clint escorted Thor down to his floor, and showed him how the card key operated. "Tony likes gadgets. Want me to come in and help you figure them all out?"

Thor looked thoughtful. "Do you think the cleansing room is more complex than that aboard Director Fury's vessel?"

"Oh, heck yeah." Clint grinned. He'd had a wonderful time showing Thor how to make the most of a small shower in what passed for a V.I.P. suite on the helicarrier. And Thor was very good about pretending he didn't understand things. It made Clint feel good even though he knew Thor was just bolstering his Alpha ego. He loved it that Thor liked him enough to be cheerfully foolish for him. "It'll have knobs and buttons and all."

"Then I would appreciate your assistance, Clint." Thor grinned and held the door wide. "Knobs have always been my downfall."


	22. RHODEY

Pepper had called him about the separation a week ago, but he hadn't been able to get leave again so soon. And then someone high up in the Air Force _accidentally_ saw a draft for a proposed press release from S.I. speculating on the potential air combat uses for the lightweight body armor/pressure suit Tony had made for Captain America. Pepper swore she had no idea how that had happened, but suddenly Rhodey had sympathetic Omega-care leave and official blessing to visit Tony and make nice.

Rhodey didn't know why Pepper hadn't decided to rule the world, but if she ever changed her mind he wasn't going to oppose her. He liked being on the winning side.

He decided to see the other half of the problem first, because he just knew the moment Tony saw him the bullshit and denials would cloud the issue until he wasn't sure why he'd even come. He'd get an honest answer--even if it was a 'none of your business' --from Steve. He called up from the lobby of the Tower and was unsurprised to get an immediate reply from Steve. From what Pepper had said, he hadn't left the building even once. "Hey, Steve," he said the moment Jarvis put him through, "this is Rhodey. Got time for a chat?"

Steve sounded wary. "Are there shovels involved?"

Rhodey laughed, but he wasn't entirely sure he meant it. "I hope not, but hey, if you want, we could beat the crap out of each other. Tony keeps a spare suit at the Tower for me."

"You know, that's the best offer I've had in a week. Come on up."

***

"So, Pepper told you," Steve said as he met Rhodey at the elevator.

"No details, just that there was trouble in paradise and the two of you have to stay away from each other for a while. That's... hard, man." 

"Yeah." Steve scrubbed roughly at his hair and sighed. "I think I'm going stir-crazy."

"Wanna go out, grab a bite of lunch?"

"God, no. At least when I'm here, I can almost believe that I'm protecting Tony. Jarvis lets me know before anyone uses the Avenger level elevators."

Rhodey didn't mention helicopters or paratroopers or any of the ridiculous ways villains and heroes had devised for getting around New York skyscrapers without touching the ground. Steve was obviously hanging on by lying to himself. He nodded. "Yeah, Tony's fine. He's been holed up in his lab, surrounded by enough firepower to take on a small army."

"And he's got Bruce with him," Steve said softly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Banner. Hey, you're not having problems with that, are you? Banner's an Omega, isn't he? They're just playing science, not house."

Steve gave Rhodey a pointed look. "Banner's an Omega wrapped around the biggest, strongest, Alpha ever. You can smell it on him. What if the Hulk gets out? Bruce likes Tony. What if the Hulk wants him? What if the Hulk doesn't give Tony a choice?"

"I'll go talk to Tony. Maybe he..."

Steve shook his head. "That's what broke us up. I ordered him to stay away from Banner. We were both angry. Pepper got in between us and... no one got hurt, but it was ugly. We both said things we didn't mean. And then Jarvis told Tony we had to stay away from each other until my system stabilized or we'd just keep reinforcing our hormones and... it would be bad."

"Yeah. I can see that." Rhodey put his hand on Steve's shoulder and squeezed. "I'm going to go get the suit, and beat you up until you feel better."

Steve laughed. "Thanks."

***

Steve was fast and unbelievably flexible. And the things he could do with the shield were amazing. Rhodey was sweating inside the War Machine Lite, and then he was flat on his back with the edge of the shield against the throat of the armor. "How do you even DO that?" he said as he tapped out.

"Clean living?" Steve said. Then he shrugged. "I had a lot of frustrations to work out. Thanks." He slapped Rhodey on the shoulder hard enough for it to get through to the inner man.

Rhodey sat up. "I don't mean to discourage you, but with Tony, you have to get used to frustration."

"I didn't find that to be true at all," Steve said as he offered Rhodey a hand. "He's sweet, really."

"You know what, I think I'm better off if you don't go into details." Rhodey got up, clanking a bit, and lifted the faceplate to grin at Steve. "Because Tony will kill me if he ever catches me thinking of him as 'sweet'."

Steve frowned. "I know a lot of society's attitudes have changed, but deep down, every Omega wants to be taken care of." Steve blushed at the look Rhodey gave him. "I didn't mean sexually, but, you know, someone to share the responsibility for decisions. Someone to lean on when things get too hard for them. They're... you know, sensitive."

Rhodey laughed. "Oh, man, do _not_ say that to Tony. I'm not saying you're wrong, but he'd go down kicking and screaming before he'd admit it. He was always a stubborn cuss, and being pretty, and smart, and ignored at home, convinced him that no one could be trusted to just like _him_ , without planning to use him. He made some really stupid decisions that he learned the wrong lessons from, and he had some bad luck with people even when he wasn't being stupid. So, yeah, he's paranoid about people trying to help him by taking responsibility. I think Pepper is probably the only person he really trusts and I'm not sure how she managed that. The first thing she did when they met was point out a mistake in his math."

"Huh." Steve looked thoughtful. "And what was the second thing she did?"

"She quit." Rhodey took the helmet off entirely and fetched a couple bottles of water. He tossed one to Steve. "He'd said something smartass." Rhodey grinned. "Tony followed her down in the elevator while she told him off for being a spoiled brat and by the time they reached the lobby, he'd asked her to come work as his P.A. 'Personal Assistant'," Rhodey added. "I'm going to go up and see Tony now. That gonna be a problem for you, Steve?"

Steve clenched his fists and then relaxed them with an obviously visible effort. "No. No, I'm just... going to stay here and work the weight bags a while. Tell Tony..." Steve picked up a roll of tape and began taping his hands. "Never mind."

"I'll tell him you miss him, Steve."

Steve went over to the bag and smashed a fist into it. "Thanks."

***

"Hey, Jarvis," Rhodey said as he exited the elevator on the workshop floor. "Tony up for company?" He'd showered thoroughly after his workout, so he was sure he didn't smell like Steve. He might have lost a few layers of skin, but better to be safe than risk a full-scale Tony meltdown. 

"If by 'up' you mean the presence of a third party might inhibit the performance of an ill-advised experiment, then yes, by all means, Mr. Stark is 'up' for company."

Rhodey grinned at Jarvis's long-suffering tone. "Announce me before armageddon strikes, will you?" He headed for the glass door and waved, catching Tony's attention.

"Sasquatch! How have you been?" Tony called as the door opened. His hair was wild and greasy, his shirt was blotched with unnamed substances, and he was holding a Stark-swooshed mug of coffee in his left hand. His right was conducting a hologram symphony of swirling... whatevers, Rhodey couldn't make them out.

"I'm good." Rhodey sniffed the air, which was hazy and smelled like overheated resin. There was a 'shush' noise coming from the rear of the workshop, where Dummy was diligently spraying something with fire retardant foam. "Do I want to know what that was?"

"No," said an Omega coming up from that area of the shop. He was brushing globs of foam from his shirt. "Tony and I just settled a dispute concerning the flammability of certain materials."

"Don't look so grouchy, Bruce, you won!" Tony grinned.

"Sometimes I'd rather lose," Bruce said. He held out a hand to Rhodey. His hands were much cleaner than Tony's, despite the foam. "I'm Bruce Banner, currently sole sponsor of the 'let's not burn down the Tower today' program."

"You're no fun, Bruce," Tony said.

Rhodey ignored Tony. Sometimes that was the only way you got anything done. "James Rhodes," Rhodey said as he shook hands with Bruce. "But Tony will have you calling me Rhodey anyway, so I don't know why I bother telling you that."

"It's good to know." Bruce leaned back slightly after shaking Rhodey's hand. "I turn into a giant green monster sometimes, but since you're in the military you already know that. I just like to get that out there, for the record."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Have a beignet, Bruce." He stopped conducting and opened a box marked with a Mardi Gras crown, all purple and green and gold.

"He keeps trying to feed me," Bruce complained as he took a pastry. "Is he trying to fatten me up?"

"Oh, yeah," Rhodey said, grabbing a beignet before Tony could pull away the box. "Tony's an Omega who can't cook... and no, using a welding torch on a slice of bread nailed to a sheet of asbestos to make toast doesn't count, Tony. But he sure knows how to shop."

Tony huffed and took a beignet for himself before hoisting himself up to sit on a table. "I'll have you know shopping is only one of my many domestic skills."

Bruce and Rhodey looked at each other and burst out laughing.


	23. PEPPER

Four days after Rhodey's visit Pepper decided she'd better look in on Tony. Out of respect for Steve's feelings, she'd stayed away, but Tony had been hers before he met Steve, and really, always would be hers, in her heart. Just because she couldn't bond with him didn't mean she didn't love him.

Still, she told Steve she was going, and called ahead to the workshop rather than barge in unannounced. Bruce answered. He looked a little more rumpled than usual on the phone vid. "Hello, Pepper."

"Tony getting you down, Bruce?" Pepper said sympathetically.

"No. Well, yes, but it's not his fault. He misses Steve and it's making him a little... just a little... manic."

"More than usual?"

"God, I hope so, because if this is how Tony is on a normal day, I'd hate to see him really wound up."

There was a loud, electrical-spitting crash in the background. Bruce didn't twitch. Then Tony yelled, "MERCURY! Do we have any old-fashioned thermometers, Bruce? I NEED MERCURY." 

Bruce closed his eyes for a second. "No, we do not have any mercury thermometers, Tony, " he said in a long-suffering tone of voice. "Neither do we have powdered alicorn or a philosopher's stone."

"Hey! You know, transmutation of elements, I can DO that! I HAVE done that. Where did I leave the particle accelerator components?" There was another crash, and an ominous crackling noise. "Crap," she heard Tony said in a small voice. "It's ok, that's not a load-bearing column."

"I'll be right down," Pepper said. She marched down the steps directly to the workshop, not wanting to wait for the elevator. The glass door opened ahead of her. "Thank you, Jarvis," she said without breaking stride. "TONY!"

Tony leaned around a heap of half-welded metal. "Hey, Pep." He was beyond the 'ruffled' look and going for ragged.

"Tony, you do not need another poisonous metal in your system," Pepper said firmly. "It looks to me more like you need a meal, a shower, and eight hours of sleep."

Tony scruffed at his hair. "I've been busy. And this idiotic company, Comenity, keeps phoning with 'timing calls', every hour from nine am to nine pm. You know those are my best sleeping hours."

"So, why not block the calls?"

"They keep changing the number."

"Turn the phones off. Honestly, Tony."

Bruce was watching them, head turning as they spoke over each other, like someone watching a tennis match.

"I can't! What if..." Tony shut his mouth so fast she heard his teeth click.

"What if Steve gets a new phone so he can call you without Jarvis interdicting the number?" Pepper felt ridiculously sympathetic. Omegas didn't suffer bond-loss, it was Steve who was really physically suffering from the separation, but he was being strong-willed, and adhering to the restrictions. "He wouldn't do that. It would set back your progress, wouldn't it?" Pepper looked at Bruce for confirmation.

Bruce shrugged. "I don't know. This is something new. It might not make a difference," he said doubtfully. "Not unless Tony's got smell-o-phone."

"No!" Tony pointed at Bruce. "I haven't! So, you know, it'd be safe. Probably."

"And maybe it wouldn't," Pepper said. Bruce was too non-confrontational sometimes. "Do you want to risk starting all over?"

Tony winced.

Bruce said, "According to Steve's latest blood tests," he said, frowning slightly, "two more weeks should do it."

"So, you're halfway there," Pepper said, trying to be encouraging.

"Yeah." Tony sat down in his current favorite car, the candy purple sports model. "I didn't think it was going to be this bad." He glanced at Pepper. "You know, a bit of moping, get caught up in work, time flies, and then it's over. But I can't sleep, and I can't keep anything down, and if I DO doze off I have... you know... weird dreams."

Pepper was alarmed now. Tony really did look more ragged than usual for an extended workshop binge. "Maybe you're sick."

"Eh, Bruce looked at my blood, took my temp. No germs, no fever, I'm fine, just... this is ridiculous. I'm NOT a snowflake! I am not dependent on anyone else. Omegas do not get bond-loss, so this is just... me being stupid. I'll get over it, Pep."

Pepper refrained from rolling her eyes. "Do you want anything?"

"Yeah." Tony looked up at her. "Crab-apple jelly doughnuts."

"Riiight." Pepper didn't bother protesting that no one made that flavor. Tony knew it as well as she did; he was just being ridiculous. Well, two could play at that game. For enough money, a new flavor could appear on the menu at Paula's Donuts in Buffalo. Since beginning work as Tony's P.A. Pepper had learned how to find flexible companies.

As Pepper was leaving she gestured at Bruce to accompany her. Tony had already returned to his giant metal jigsaw puzzle and didn't pay them any attention. "Bruce," she said quietly once they were in the elevator, "what's wrong with Steve's blood tests? I noticed that seemed to bother you."

"Oh. No, really, the blood results are promising, everything's progressing according to schedule. I don't foresee any problems there."

"Then what is it?"

Bruce shrugged. "Steve's... uncomfortable around me. I don't blame him, he can't trust me not to Hulk out. I don't... do confrontations very well, so I try to stay with Tony, and away from Steve. We don't need a big green problem right now. Maybe. Maybe I should go."

Pepper laid her hand lightly on Bruce's shoulder. "I hope you stay, Bruce. I like you, and Tony, in his strange, strange, way, really adores you. You're important to us and we'd really miss you." She felt Bruce's muscles relax under her hand, and resolved to spend more time with him. Tony was affectionate with Bruce, but sometimes an Omega just needed an Alpha's reassurance that they were doing the right thing; that they were valued.

"Yes, well." Bruce smiled at her. "I wouldn't leave before Tony got back with Steve, anyway. He just _might_ discover the philospher's stone if he didn't have someone to distract him."

"Don't stay just for Tony. You're important, too. If there's anything you need or want, let me know." Pepper really did like Bruce. He was sweet and smart and, speaking frankly, cuddly. Quite a lot like Tony when he wasn't being hyper. She liked the idea of having a matched set around the Tower. They kept each other amused and mostly out of trouble and were awfully cute together. 

"I... I'll think about that, thank you." Bruce's smile was softer, more natural. "Oh, this is my floor, Jarvis," Bruce said. He gave Pepper a little wave as he got off. 

She really hoped Bruce would stay with them. She went up to her office, thinking about Steve. Should she talk to him about Bruce? Steve was a very good Alpha... but Bruce was apparently a sore point with him. Better not to stir up those waters.


	24. LOKI

Life as a prisoner of the Midgardians was unutterably boring. Their Alphas were puny, their Betas were puffed-up braggarts, and their Omegas went along with the system without attempting to exert their influence. And worst of all, Thor had found a bondmate among them and insisted on dragging the scruffy little baggage along when he visited Loki in his cell with his daily attempts to convince Loki to _reform_. Two weeks of this hadn't shown Thor the utter futility of his efforts, and his persistence grated. He should return Loki's spite with hatred like a normal person would do.

"If my catch was that small, I'd throw it back," Loki sneered when Thor showed up with his Alpha. Thor looked wounded, unfortunately not literally, and the Alpha barely reacted at all. "He even looks like a cold fish."

Thor laughed. "Nay, brother, my Clint is anything but cold." He grinned. "Nor is he small."

Loki shook his head. "Why a prince of Asgard, who could have any Alpha he wished, should settle for such a one is beyond my understanding." Loki idly picked up a piece of fruit from the basket Thor had brought. As if he was sick. He was tempted to throw it into Thor's smugly smiling face.

"That's funny," the Midgardian said, "I thought you were a prince of Asgard, too, Loki. Where's your Alpha?"

Thor frowned. "Loki has not met any he felt suitable."

Loki bit at the inside of his lip until it bled, cool and soothing. "They were all fools." He saw the glint of understanding in the eyes of Thor's Alpha. For so many years Loki had tried so hard, and failed so often. No Asgardian Alpha had wanted to have anything to do with him. Even Thor's inner circle of warriors barely allowed him to accompany them into battle, and that only because his magic was too useful to deny. How was he to know that he reeked of Jotun? Odin had bid them all to silence when he was a babe, and when he grew to be a man, they still obeyed their king. But he hadn't tried to order them to desire Loki's stinking Jotun flesh. Even Odin's rule had its limits.

"Loki was adopted," Thor said reluctantly. "That seems a social barrier, although I know not why."

"Oh, for..." Loki's patience, never his strongest feature, had run out. "You're an Omega, Thor, you can't smell me." He whirled to glare at Thor's Alpha. "Tell me, what do I smell like to you? What horrible, disgusting aroma fills your nostrils, and makes you want to retch at the very idea of bedding me?"

Clint blinked slowly. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!" Loki snapped.

Clint shrugged. "Vicks."

"What?" Thor and Loki asked together.

"Vicks Vaporub, the regular kind, not the lemon. It's something you put on a kid's chest when they have a cold and their nose is stopped up. It doesn't exactly smell _bad_. It's just weird."

"I smell like a sick Midgardian child."

"Kinda," Clint said, with an apologetic glance at Thor, who looked as if he was trying to decide whether or not to be offended on Loki's behalf.

"But Asgardian Alphas have never smelled a sick Midgardian child!" Loki protested. "How would they know to be disgusted by that?"

"It's a sorta cold burning spicy smell?" Clint offered.

"Cold. Yes. That makes sense." Loki's eyes narrowed. "But it does not disgust Midgardians? Of course not, you haven't been bred to hate the cold."

"Nah. We'll dress warm come winter and make you a snowman," Clint said. "Maybe Fury will let you out for Christmas."

"Christmas?" Loki asked, unwillingly. Thor's Alpha was sly and liked to make Loki feel a fool, but in among the mockery there was often useful information.

"A celebration near the end of the year. Not everyone observes it personally, but you can't get away from the decorations. Snowflakes and snowmen, and... it gets complicated, there's religion and I think Coke designed Santa's red and white suit, and then there's Rudolph, who got into the act from a song, not the poem where all the other flying reindeer came from." Clint gave Loki a bright, honest smile, which convinced Loki that Clint was trying to make him think he was lying while he was actually telling the truth.

"You celebrate snow?"

"Sure, one of our favorites is Frosty the Snowman. There's movies about him. Everyone loves Frosty. He's a big hero."

"Then we must observe these movies!" Thor decided, loudly. "Friend Stark says he can acquire any entertainment we wish, so we shall ask his assistance!" Thor beamed. Loki was sure he was an inch away from saying something ridiculously sentimental but a scowl shut him down just in time.

While Loki was certain he was being mocked, he could still hear the truth beneath it. On Midgard, at least in this part of it, which seemed a fairly large and reasonably homogenous society (their skin was all tones of brown, varying only in shade, and their languages were all open to the All-Speak), one could apparently be a Frost Giant, and yet be popular. Perhaps he would do better to take over Midgard than Asgard.

He hadn't tried to escape because he had nowhere to go, but why should he go anywhere? The Midgardian Omegas' lack of ambition had predisposed this society to unnatural reliance on an interlocking system of rules and regulations, rather than an extended royal family guiding by intimate relationships. He could rule on his _own_ and use their own system of codes to tie them into bondage. And pick and choose whatever Alpha toys he wished to play with, for as long as he wished. They would be grateful once he took them in charge. They were made to be ruled.

"Well, I admit I am bored. Perhaps watching the adventures of a Midgardian hero would prove momentarily diverting." Clint gave Loki a suspicious look. Loki showed his teeth. "After all, Director Fury never did bring me any magazines." Loki looked around the bare white austerity of his cell, featureless transparent walls broken by a padded shelf in lieu of a bed and in the single opaque walled area, a small facility for calls of nature which could only be enclosed for a short interval before an alarm sounded. He had no idea what the Midgardians thought he could do if given sufficient privacy, but in that they were wise. He always did his best magics in private.

He had been limited in his resources, and cautious, perhaps overly so. There were magics so innate to him that all he needed was the use of his tongue. They'd never lasted long enough for more than a momentary advantage, but then that had been against Asgardians. Midgardians were different- they were weak, weak in body, and weak in their senses. If their Alphas couldn't even tell he was an enemy by his scent, then were they likely to be immune to his silver tongue? Still, he would have only one chance to test his idea. He had no desire to be gagged for the duration of his incarceration.

"I shall ask Director Fury to provide you with reading material, brother," Thor said. "Perhaps if you learn more of this realm, you will better understand why I value its people."

"I doubt it." Loki shrugged. "At least it may provide me with tales to entertain my guards when I return to prison in Asgard."

"Father will not imprison you, Loki. You remain a prince of Asgard!" Thor said with overly loud confidence.

"It's been two weeks. It never took him that long to decide on a punishment. Maybe it won't be imprisonment. He stripped you of rank and exiled you for nothing more than the crime of being a headstrong warrior. What will he do to me? I am not even of his blood. There will be no reason to stay his hand."

Thor looked troubled. "I will speak to Father for you. He has forgiven me, surely he will forgive you." And then Thor engulfed Loki in a hug. Loki could barely resist leaning into it. Thor was always the only one who willingly embraced him. It was difficult not to find comfort in it. But he didn't want comfort as a pity-gift. He would make this world _kneel_ and beg to please him. That thought made him smile after Thor left with his little Alpha, vowing to return the next day with entertainment.

Entertainment? Loki would amuse himself. He looked up at one of the spy-eyes that surrounded the transparent walls of his cell. "I wish to speak with Director Fury."


	25. COULSON

Something strange was going on. Had been going on for three days. Coulson couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the helicarrier crew were all... well... distracted, as if focused on something other than their assigned tasks. And all of the Omegas, except him, had disappeared- gone on ground-based missions, failed medical examinations, told to take early leave because psych evals said they were stressed, etc. There hadn't ever been a high percentage of Omegas in SHIELD and fewer on board the helicarrier, but this was absurd. Coulson was beginning to feel like an endangered species. Or as if Fury was clearing the deck for action. If that was the case, he wasn't sure whether he was annoyed that SHIELD hadn't outgrown the old assumption that Omegas were more vulnerable than the other genders, or gratified that he hadn't been included in the purge.

Annoyed won out. If Fury had a plan it would have been only _sensible_ to give Phil at least a bare outline of the situation, so he could be better prepared to act within it. As it stood, his ignorance could make Phil actually a hindrance. This definitely was filed in the 'need to know' category. So he didn't stand on ceremony when he entered the Director's private sanctum.

"Director," was all he got out before his brain caught up with his eyes and he stuttered into shocked silence. Fury was on his knees before Loki, gazing up with pure, uncensored adoration in his eye. It was more embarrassing than if he'd caught them in the middle of intercourse. He could imagine Fury having sex. But groveling? That just... no. Coulson's gun was in his hand and pointed directly between Loki's smirking eyes without him having consciously arrived at the decision to draw his weapon.

"I don't know what you've done to Director Fury, but you'll undo it. NOW," he snapped.

Loki smiled. "Nicky, I thought I told you to get rid of the Omegas?"

"Coulson's an invaluable asset," Fury said. "I thought he'd be sensible, and see the truth, as I have. We need to be ruled."

The worst of it was, Fury sounded like himself, as if it was perfectly natural for him to play underling. Obviously there was no point in negotiating or threatening. He'd seen Loki battling Thor and knew the man was tough, but he'd like to see him shrug off a large caliber slug in the brain. He pulled the trigger just as something, someone, slammed into him from the side and the bullet flew wide. He looked up from the floor in astonishment at Maria Hill. "Oh, no. He's got you, too?"

"Loki knows what's best for us," Maria said calmly even as she pinned his wrist down with her foot on pressure points and leaned over to pry the gun from his lax fingers. "We were made to be ruled," the Alpha said as she straightened and aimed his own gun directly at his forehead. Head shots were the most certain when you're faced with a highly dangerous opponent, and Maria knew him well enough not to underestimate him. You can keep going for several seconds at least after being shot in the heart, long enough to do considerable damage, but the brain... bye bye instantly.

"We weren't made to be anything," Coulson said. "We make _ourselves_." He hadn't fought his way past prejudice to gain a position of respect and dignity only to cede both to an alien Omega with _issues_.

"Should I dispose of him, sir?" Maria asked while continuing to watch Phil. Neither the gun muzzle nor her expression wavered. Phil stayed perfectly still. He wasn't faster than a speeding bullet and had an innate dislike of acting foolish and an even stronger dislike of being killed to no purpose.

Loki gazed thoughtfully down at Coulson. "No, not yet. I need to decide how best to eliminate Midgard's Omegas. He'll be a useful test subject. Lock him up somewhere... not in my cell, I still need to play prisoner for Thor." He smiled with a spiteful curl to his lips. "I think I'll take his little Alpha today."

Phil didn't resist when Maria pulled him to his feet and twisted his right arm up behind his back. He knew Maria as well as she knew him. If she really was one hundred percent dog-loyal to Loki, she'd have blown his head off rather than risk tackling him. She was a tough, stubborn woman. He was counting on her using whatever freedom of will she had to leave him a loophole. Fury must have done the same when he didn't get rid of Coulson. He wouldn't do anyone any good by dying unnoticed. No, if he was going to be killed, he would make sure it would accomplish something.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked mildly as he was frog-marched down the corridors, past agents and technicians who didn't bat an eye at the unprecedented sight of Fury's 'right hand' being treated like a security threat. Loki must have got to all of them. Fast worker.

"You'll see soon enough," Maria answered. 

He kept his eyes open, alert for details and opportunities, as she walked him down through the flight operations control room, which was unnecessary if they were heading for the detention wing. He saw monitors showing the flight deck. Planes were being readied for flight. He felt a cold sensation in his gut as he recognized them. They were carrying nuclear missiles. Whatever Loki had in mind for them, he had to be stopped. He tensed and then relaxed again as Maria shoved the barrel of the gun hard against his spine. "Don't," she said calmly. 

"You do realize that whatever Loki does, mass murder will be part of it?"

"You can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs." Maria shoved him hard through a door and stepped back as it closed before he could regain his balance and turn back to face her through the clear panel of the door. "Loki doesn't want you killed," she said. "Yet." Her eyes were cold as she locked the door with the keypad. "So long as you stay here, you'll be safe." She turned on her heel and walked briskly away.

Phil smiled at himself in the reflective surface of the two way mirror set in the wall of the interrogation room. The table and chairs were all securely fastened down and there was neither a door handle nor exposed hinges on the interior of the room. It _looked_ like an inescapable prison. "Thank you, Maria," he said softly, before he went to the far corner of the room and took a deep breath. "Well," he said, "I always wanted to try this." He ran full speed at the mirror, twisting at the last second to hit it full force with both feet.

It was distressingly noisy, and not a little painful, but the mirror broke and he didn't. He landed in a shower of glass, arm up to protect his eyes, and turned swiftly to check out the observation room; empty. Good. The door was unlocked, and when he peeked out, the hallway was deserted. While matters were urgent, running off half-cocked to single-handedly battle the entire Alpha and Beta contingent of the helicarrier would be a futile waste of time. He shut the door and considered the room's facilities. It looked like it normally did. Including the communications system. Which was monitored 24/7/365. However the computer console had possibilities. It was monitored only on an out-going data basis. 

If his analysis of Tony Stark's personality was accurate... paranoia could be a useful thing. He turned on the computer and opened a plain text document. "Jarvis," he typed, "this is Agent Coulson. The helicarrier has been infiltrated. All Alpha and Beta personnel are under Loki's mind-control; totally compromised. Methodology unknown. Nuclear armed jets are being readied. Loki intends to take over Clint to use against Thor. Warn them. Do not..."

The document began adding text he hadn't written. "Clint Barton and Thor are en route to the helicarrier. I cannot reach them."

"Ok, that's not good," Coulson said out loud. He typed, "Assemble and inform the remaining Avengers of the situation. I'm going now." He didn't tell Jarvis what his plans were, mostly because they were too nebulous to be called plans.

He got up and checked the corridor again. Still clear. First thing, he needed a weapon. If his ID hadn't already been purged from the system he knew where he could get a Phase 4 gun. But if it had... he couldn't count on Maria's subconscious being on his side to that extent. He'd just have to make do with whatever he could find along the way to the deck. He knew where Clint preferred to land. If he could get there without being intercepted, then he and Clint and Thor ought to be able to disable the nuke planes at least, and hold the deck until help could arrive. Sure. They could do it.

Coulson briefly considered traveling through the ducting, but no. It would be safer, but slower. The nukes made caution too expensive an option. There was an off-duty break room on the way to the flight deck access he had in mind. He'd pick up something there. No one ever really expected to be attacked while they were having coffee and donuts despite SHIELD's training programs to the contrary. If he was fortunate he wouldn't even have to kill anyone. Yet. He couldn't really envision a scenario in which someone didn't die today. All he could hope was that they managed to keep the casualty list restricted to combatants.

"Stop! Sir, please stop!" A lower-level agent called from a cross-corridor, gun only halfway up, and hand visibly shaking. Coulson took pity on the newbie, and nerve-punched him out before taking his gun and ID badge, and locking him in a supply closet. "You need more assertiveness training," he muttered. "But I'll give you a pass on the seminar this time."

The newbie's gun wasn't much; the best toys were reserved for senior agents. Phil had made do with less, he wasn't complaining. He increased his speed, and traded up to a few better guns, but didn't pause to tidy away the unconscious, minimally wounded, bodies. Time was running out. Sooner or later... the alarms rang out, shrill and loud. "Well, I knew things were going too smoothly," he said, before jumping up to punch out the grate over a ventilation duct and pull himself inside. "And this suit was a good one," he mourned while knee and elbow power-walking toward the flight deck. Halfway there, the alarms went ominously silent. "Damn." Thor and Clint must have arrived. Loki would have them casually blockaded by agents. He'd never get close enough to warn them.

Change of plans. He ran his mental map of the ducting and decided on the optimum course toward Loki's cell. He ignored the bloody trail his elbows were leaving on the metal and moved faster.

When he heard the thunderstorm, he knew he was too late, but he pushed on regardless. There was no going back, only going forward. Thor was fighting, he told himself that was a good sign. Apparently Loki's whatever-it-was mind control didn't work on Omegas. 

As he grew closer he could hear Thor shouting above the thunder, and make out Loki's mocking laughter. There were no clear words, but the tone did not bode well. Thor sounded desperate. He put on a last burst of speed, punched out a grate and dove out, tumbling into the corridor to rise to his feet, facing Loki with gun drawn, Thor's overwarm bulk a dimly sensed presence at his side.. He had a fraction of an instant to recognize Clint standing in front of Loki, bow drawn and face set in determined lines. Coulson aimed at Loki's forehead, but his ragged sleeve caught, holding him back just long enough, too long. The bullet went wide as he was punched in the chest and driven back. He sprawled against the wall, looking down at the arrow shaft protruding from his shirt. He tried to move the gun, but his arm muscles refused to respond. Pretty much all of him refused to respond. Warm wetness trickled down his chin. His eyes still worked, that was about it. He looked up at Clint. "Not your fault," he said before everything went black.


	26. THOR

"No, Loki!" Thor cried out when he saw Clint fitting another arrow to his bow, this one meant for him. "Do not make him do this! If you must kill me, do it with your own hands."

Loki smirked and laid his hand lightly on Clint's arm. "But Thor, this is so much more amusing. Just think of it, later when I release your little Alpha, his pain will be so delicious."

"This is wrong, Loki. This is not the way of a warrior." Thor held Mjolnir tightly, for once wishing his weapon was less powerful. If he struck Clint with it, he would almost certainly kill him. Everything in his Omega soul cried out against it.

"As I've been so often reminded, I'm not warrior material." Loki sneered and caressed Clint's arm. "Petty magician, fit only for mockery, isn't that what your precious Warriors Three thought of me?"

"No one ever said anything like that within my hearing, Loki. I would not have abided it, brother."

"I'm NOT your brother!" Loki screamed. "I'm a monster! The creature of horror tales! The ice-beast we were taught to hate!"

"No!"

"Yes! And I tell you, Thor, I prefer honest hatred over mocking lies pretending that I was one of you, that I belonged. That I had family and was loved!"

"You are loved, Loki. I love you, brother. Even now."

"Will you still love me when your beautiful Midgard is under my heel? That is, what remains of it." Loki smiled. "Barton, keep my _brother_ from interfering. I'm going to set my birds free."

Thor didn't understand what Loki meant by birds, but he stayed quiet. Loki was leaving the room, that was all that mattered. He waited until the sound of Loki's footsteps had faded into silence before he spoke. "Clint, what did he mean? What birds?"

Clint tilted his head slightly as if trying to decide whether Loki would approve of him speaking to Thor. "Planes. My guess is that he's going to drop some nukes. Big bombs, you know. They take out whole cities."

Thor stared at Clint in horror. "No. Even as angry as he is, Loki would not countenance that."

Clint shrugged. "Earth is a pretty big place. If Loki wants to take over, I guess cutting it down to size would make it easier. Strategy's not my thing, so I could be wrong. Loki knows best."

"Loki is misguided." Thor looked down at Coulson, slumped in a heap against the blood smeared wall. There wasn't actually much blood. The arrow had been a simple cutting head, not an explosive charge or any of the fancy 'toys' Tony had made for Clint. "He is hurt and seeks to make others suffer, to make others betray their friends and loved ones. Will you let me look at your friend? Surely that would not interfere with Loki's plans."

Clint hesitated and then he nodded. "All right, but no tricks."

Thor got down on his knee beside Coulson. Coulson's eyes were wide open. The pupils didn't react as he passed a hand in front of the man's face. He felt at Coulson's throat, trying several different places before he sighed and let his hand drop to his side. "I will see you anon in Valhalla, friend," he said sadly. "I fear I cannot lay you out properly on a warrior's bier, but I shall do my best for you." He broke off the feathered end of the arrow and tugged Coulson's body forward so he could push the arrow shaft through. He tossed it aside and lay Coulson down flat on the floor, arranging his limbs in a natural position and closing his eyes. He reached for the gun.

"Uh uh," Clint warned. "Don't touch that."

"A warrior should not go to Valhalla unarmed!" Thor said indignantly.

"I said no. Don't touch the gun."

"Very well," Thor admitted to himself he had been considering taking the chance of shooting his Alpha. A bullet was so much smaller than Mjolnir, perhaps Clint would survive. He looked down at Mjolnir. "I shall give him my hammer." He would have to fight Clint, he couldn't let Loki destroy a world without him lifting a finger to oppose, but he would do so barehanded, even though it meant he was likely to die himself. He laid Mjolnir at Coulson's side. "Serve this worthy warrior as you have done for me, old friend." He wrapped Coulson's limp fingers around the hammer's handle.

He stepped back and bowed his head in respect to the fallen warrior. There was a moment of stillness, and then a powerful gust of wind blew Thor's cape around him, lightning blinded him and thunder filled the metal halls with a vast echoing roar. Thor tilted his head up to the impossible indoor storm and laughed. "Thank you, Father!" he shouted as Coulson rose to his feet, looking bewildered and holding Mjolnir in one hand.

"I believe this belongs to you," he said to Thor.

"Phil?" At Clint's voice, raw with shock, Thor turned to face him. His Alpha's eyes were wide with horror. "I killed you," Clint said.

Coulson glanced down at himself. Not only was he healed, his clothing was restored to the same immaculate condition in which he began the day. "I got better," he said dryly. He handed Thor his hammer and strode past Clint. "Stop gawking, Agent Barton."

"Yes, sir," Clint said and caught up with him. He looked at Thor who grinned and swung his hammer as he accompanied them. "You all right?"

"I am now," Thor said cheerfully. "Let us go instruct Loki in the error of his ways."

"Oh, yeah, let's," Clint replied.

Coulson scooped up the fallen gun without breaking stride. "I've sent for the rest of the Avengers."

Clint said, "Thor and I took Tony's quinjet. That'll slow them down."

"I don't doubt their resourcefulness. They'll be here soon." Coulson looked at his wristwatch. "I wasn't dead very long, we should just about meet them. Clint," Coulson said without raising his voice, "quietly."

"I see them." Clint hesitated only an instant before shooting the four oncoming agents; one arrow each and they fell without a word.

Thor didn't look as they went past the bodies. Neither did Clint or Coulson, but their backs were stiff. He mourned the agents, and selfishly he mourned the added darkness their deaths put on Loki's soul. He shouldn't feel pity for Loki, but he did.

After a few minutes Coulson stopped and put a hand up, more for Thor's benefit than Clint's. He said softly, "This opens onto the main flight deck. It's a sort of alcove. Should give us cover long enough to assess the situation. If we can, we'll wait for the others to arrive and form up with them, but if either of you see a plane preparing to take off, stop it. Any way you can. Don't wait."

Thor nodded and took a tighter grip on Mjolnir. He hadn't taken the time to study Midgardian machinery, but anything could be broken, and surely planes cannot fly without wings. He only hoped they were in time.

The alcove was small and dark. The three men were pressed close together as they peered out into the bright sunlight at the bustling scene. Loki was standing near one of the planes, inspecting it. He looked very smugly satisfied as people surrounded him, following and fawning on him. Thor ached to run out there and shake sense into Loki before more people suffered for his madness. He might yet be redeemed, or at the very least, he could die with honor, in battle. But he had learned the wisdom of restraint; Coulson's order was that of a good commander. Battles are not won merely by strength of arm, but by the proper use of resources. If Thor exposed them now, he would be throwing away what meager advantage surprise would give them. Thor was accustomed to fighting for sport, with no greater risk than his own injury or death, but a king must think of those who cannot battle for themselves. The Midgardians known as New Yorkers were a lively folk, but more given to expressing themselves with heated words than bared steel. And certainly they could not fight against a device that destroys entire cities.

Clint's head turned, tilted up to the clear blue sky. "Iron Man... and... has he got a brother?"

Thor could not see what Clint did; Heimdall would approve Thor's choice. He had often said that Thor needed a far-sighted one to look over him. 

Coulson said, "Close. That would be War Machine. Colonel Rhodes must have been visiting." He looked down at his gun and then across the flight deck. "The others?"

"Iron Man's carrying Cap. Rhodey's got Natasha. I don't see Bruce." Clint fitted an arrow to his string even as Thor made out the rapidly growing shapes of his teammates. "It's showtime."

Coulson nodded. "We distract, give them a chance to drop off their passengers. Right now they're sitting ducks."

"Flying ducks," Thor said as the three of them ran out onto the deck. "LOKI!" he shouted as he threw Mjolnir through the nose of the plane by his brother. Clint's arrows were blowing gaping holes in other planes, while Coulson was grimly shooting down people in flight suits. "BROTHER! YOU SHALL NOT DO THIS!"


	27. RHODEY

"Looks like World War Three down there," Rhodey said over the comms. "You gonna be all right, Natasha?" He held her tucked under one arm while he used one hand to balance. Tony was flying close to him with both arms wrapped around Rogers. It was the weirdest looking hug he'd ever seen and he had no idea how the hell Tony managed not to dump them both ass over teakettle, or how he kept Rogers from bitching. 

Natasha had her arms and legs wrapped around Rhodey and they still wobbled a bit. Tony had complained that the 'phallic' gun over his shoulder threw the suit off balance, but Rhodey believed the visual deterrent of an obvious gun on War Machine was worth it. Iron Man looked too pretty to be scary, in his opinion. Like something that should be hanging off a Christmas tree for the cat to bat at.

"Sure, fine. Drop me anywhere. Here's good." 

Rhodey took her at her word and released his grip fifteen feet above the helicarrier deck, swerving to knock down a few armed men before he stood and began using his repulsors, moving quickly to blast people away from the planes, and ignoring the small arms fire directed against him. Tony had landed on the other side of the deck with Steve and they were clearing the way around the planes on that side. "Which one's Loki?" he asked into the comm.

"Tall green queen bee!" Tony snapped back. "In the middle of the redshirts!"

"Redshirts, I don't see any... oh. Yeah. Star Trek?" Rhodey saw that Tony was occupied trying to cover Steve's back and Natasha was apparently faster than a speeding bullet, anyway, she was flipping people around and zapping them, or whatever, so she was fine on her own. He headed for the clump of helicarrier personnel- mostly dressed in black, not red. "Now you wanna discuss science fiction? Now? Your timing stinks, Tony."

"Well, we are fighting a mind-controlling alien on top of a floating invisible battleship!" 

"Good point." Rhodey hated this, hated firing on his own people, all the people who should be on his side. The glimpses he caught of the grim look on Captain America's face told Rhodey he wasn't alone. He recognized Thor working his way toward Loki, the big guy was kinda hard to miss, but then a swirl of action formed around the two men flanking him and Thor stopped advancing to fend off their attackers. He couldn't blame Thor for defending his Alpha.

And yeah, Loki was his brother, wasn't he? That's gotta be shitty, when your brother tries to kill your bondmate and you've got to try to take him down. Rhodey'd never felt the pull, not really, Tony was the closest he'd come. He figured he'd do Thor the favor and save him from having to choose between loyalties. He dove into the middle of the crowd around the guy in weird green leather and armor, and grabbed him by an arm and a leg. "I'm about to make a wish," he threatened.

"Puny Midgardian!" Loki shrieked, and waved his free hand in some freak ass mystical pass mumbo jumbo, "do you think you can stop my glorious destiny?"

"Yeah, I kinda think I can," Rhodey said, applying a little more pressure until he heard Loki's armor creak. "You release these people now or I'm gonna break you in half and see what that does."

"FLY!" Loki shouted, and by God, one of the planes that he hadn't seen, stealth... or magic, whatever... flickered into sight and took off. 

"TONY!" Rhodey shouted.

"GOT IT!" Tony yelled back, already in the air after the plane, firing at it, but the pilot was good, damn good. 

"Oh, sweet Jesus, no," Rhodey said as he saw the missile fired, Tony hot on its trail.

Loki laughed. "He'll never stop it. I've learned about your toys. If he blasts it, he'll just release the poison the sooner and the winds will carry my message across the land."

"Don't shoot it, Tony! You hear me!" Rhodey yelled. He saw Tony reach the missile and grab onto it. He had no idea what Tony was going to do with. He was pretty sure Tony didn't either. He could bring it down in the ocean, but an irradiated tsunami wouldn't be good for Manhattan, either, not to mention what it'd do to all the coastal towns and cities.

"You know, I don't care how crazy you are, I just bet you can stop that. If you really want to." The fighting was still going on around them, but no one seemed to notice them. More idiot magic, Rhodey supposed. "And I'm gonna make you want to, real bad."

Loki grinned at him. "Say that to me face to face. If you dare."

"Fine," Rhodey said and retracted the faceplate. "You wanna see me? Look at me!" He shook Loki.

Loki's teeth rattled and he frowned. "I don't... I don't understand it. It always worked... don't you want to bow down before me?"

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "You do realize you're an Omega and I'm an Alpha? You noticed that, didn't you?"

"Yes," Loki said softly. He reached out to touch Rhodey's face. 

"Oh, fuck," Rhodey said as the connection was made. "Oh, hell, no, we didn't just."

Loki looked down, demurely. "I'm sorry, but I can't stop the bomb. It's on a timer once it's fired."

"Jesus! Tony!" Rhodey shouted into his comm, and tried not to think that he'd somehow formed an instant bond, NOBODY did that, and with the villain from another planet, yet. "You heard all that?" The fighting stopped, and everything went quiet, except for the groans of the injured. Apparently whatever hold Loki had over the people had broken when they'd bonded. Rhodey supposed he ought to be glad about it, but at the moment he was more concerned with not being bonded to the biggest mass murderer in history. Thor pushed his way through the crowd, along with Clint and Coulson. Natasha got up from the back of the man she'd been fighting, leaving him unconscious, or possibly dead, in a heap of black leather.

"Heard," Tony said over the comms, loud enough for everyone gathered around to hear him. "How much time?"

Loki answered without prodding, "Three minutes, at best."

"Well, no pressure there," Tony said. Rhodey saw him punch the side of the missile, cutting off the thrust and guiding it to land on top of Stark Tower. "I've got an idea." 

Rhodey used the suit to enhance his vision. Bruce was on the rooftop and ran to meet Tony, carrying a box, maybe tools. Steve came up beside Rhodey. His uniform was torn, his hood was gone, and one arm hung at his side, blood dripping down to the deck. "Can he defuse it?" he asked Rhodey.

"Oh, yeah sure," Rhodey answered unconvincingly. "But in three minutes?"

"Oh ye of little faith," Tony said. They could hear his breathing, rapid and interspersed with grunts, but only Rhodey could see that he and Bruce were ripping apart the casing of the bomb. "I was building these things when you were... playing with... Legos. Bruce, this is gonna be hot, you're sure you can handle it?"

Bruce's voice was muffled, picked up by Iron Man. "Yeah. The other guy's a radiation sponge, you know? I should have gone with you and risked breaking the helicarrier." There was a loud screeching noise. "Well," Bruce said, "that's not good."

Iron Man jetted up from the building. Rhodey could see he was carrying something, but he couldn't make it out. "TONY! What are you doing!" Tony didn't answer, but Bruce's voice came through on the line, he must have remembered that he had a comm of his own.

"He's got the detonator. Without that to trigger the plutonium the bomb's harmless. But there's only a few seconds left on the timer. And you know, it's a pretty big charge."

Steve said, "Tony! Get rid of it! Throw it!"

Tony said, "Sorry, Steve. Can't risk it. Don't worry. The suit can take it."

"Throw it away! Tony!" Steve shouted.

And then the bomb went off in Iron Man's arms. And Iron Man turned over and over and fell.

"TONY!" Steve screamed.

Rhodey shoved Loki at Thor and ran off the edge of the helicarrier, firing the repulsors before he cleared the deck. He was too far away, he knew it. Once again he was too far away to save Tony.


	28. STEVE

Not again. That was all Steve could think as he watched Iron Man, Tony, _his Omega_ , falling from the sky. He tried to run after War Machine; he didn't know why. He wasn't going to jump, he just... but arms wrapped around him and held him. He dragged Natasha and Clint several feet before Thor added his strength to theirs and forced him to stop. "Let me go! I have to go!" he shouted, but they hung onto him.

"Wait!" Clint, Hawkeye, shouted. "Look!"

Steve's eyes weren't as good as Hawkeye's, but he saw the huge green figure of the Hulk rise up and snatch Iron Man, turning the fall into an arc broken by the Hulk catching a building with one hand and somehow clawing his way down in a shower of stone and glass without dropping Tony. Steve watched until they were out of sight, landed somewhere, hidden in the steel canyons of Manhattan. "I need to get down there. Now."

Fury emerged from the crowd, coat ripped, blood streaked on the side of his face, and a huge gun held casually in one hand. His other arm was obviously broken, and he was just as obviously ignoring it. "All the planes are disabled. We could land the helicarrier in the harbor." Steve knew that was an extraordinary kindness, that the helicarrier's comings and goings were secret and meticulously scheduled, and this disaster would make exposing it to public scrutiny even less permissible. But it wasn't enough. He needed to be with Tony, now.

"No," Coulson said, "that'd take too long, wouldn't it, Captain?"

Steve nodded. "There's got to be another way."

"There is," Coulson said as he kicked open the warped cargo door of a paratrooper transport. He pulled a parachute from the rack. 

Clint took it from him and checked it over. "Get another," he said before handing it to Steve.

"One more," Natasha said. She looked at Thor, who seemed torn between his brother and his teammate. "We'll call you as soon as we know anything, Thor."

Thor nodded and gripped the back of Loki's neck. "Take care of them."

"I'm sure they're fine," Natasha said as she inspected Steve's harness before she turned to go over Clint's. "Nothing can harm the Hulk, and Tony's armor will protect him."

Thor nodded again, but he looked doubtful. Steve had heard him say more than once how tiny Midgardians were. He probably thought of Tony as eminently breakable. Steve didn't want to think that. Tony was tough.

"Watch for the air currents," Clint said, "City acts like a wind tunnel. Aim for the park!" he shouted and then leaped from the helicarrier, far enough away from the rotors to escape their draft. Steve and Natasha followed at once, pulling the rip cords once they saw Clint's bloom white below them. Steve tugged on the lines. He'd not done much training for aerial acrobatics, but his instincts and balance made up for the lack of experience. He learned fast, he always had.

***

Steve was already hitting the release on the harness before his feet touched the ground. The chute tangled with a massive tree, dragging at him for an instant before he simply ripped the tough nylon straps apart and started running towards Tony's tower. He could hear sirens and a low-toned boom like the growl of a massive animal; a gigantic lion, or perhaps an enraged elephant. The Hulk could tear Iron Man apart. Maybe he caught him the way a cat catches a bird, it's not kindness behind that. Steve stretched his legs and pushed harder, running so fast people were just blurs, cars were just obstacles to be overleaped, and he hated all the buildings in his way with a passion he'd previously reserved for bullies. They were big and uncaring, and if Tony died because Steve couldn't get there in time, he'd hate New York for the rest of his life.

Steve skidded around a corner and the sight and sound blasted in on him, freezing him for a moment. The Hulk was sitting at the base of a large fountain. The statue, whatever it had been, was broken and lying on its side, water gushing out at random from broken pipes. Iron Man was sprawled across the Hulk's lap, leaning against the huge green chest. The helmet visor was up, and Tony was giving the Hulk a dazed-looking grin. The Hulk frowned and poked the middle of the armor.

"HEY!" Steve shouted. Tony was alive, Tony was all right. And Tony had ignored his orders and nearly got himself killed! And here he was, smiling at another Alpha and not even LOOKING at Steve. Hadn't even THOUGHT that Steve would be worried. "WHAT the HELL did you think you were doing?"

Tony's eyes went to Steve and his grin widened. "STEVE! Come here and give me a kiss!"

There was blood on Tony's face. Just a little. But the smell of it went straight to Steve's gut, and he had to fight someone, something. Anything. He glared at the Hulk. "Put him down. NOW."

The Hulk growled back at him and put both arms protectively about Iron Man. Steve's vision went hunter tunnel, the whole world reduced to those arms keeping what was HIS away from him, taking his Omega. And Tony wasn't even protesting. "You think I'm not your Alpha, Tony? You think you can be with whoever you want?" It wasn't fair, Bruce was smarter than Steve, and the Hulk was stronger than him, but Tony was _his_. Should be his. 

"What?" Tony said. He sounded confused. He patted at the Hulk's arms. "Lemme go talk to Steve. He's mad."

"No," the Hulk snarled. "Hulk not let little Tony get hurt. HULK NOT LET."

"I've had about enough of this," Steve snapped. "Tony are you coming with me or not?"

"Well, I would, Steve," Tony said, "but I'm kinda held up here." He wrinkled his nose. "Suit's busted, too. And I really liked this one." He didn't sound right. 

"Are you _drunk_?" Steve was outraged. If Tony had gone into battle drunk, and not even _told_ Steve... what did that say? He didn't even honor their bond that much?

"NO! Well, maybe a little. But I only had one drink." Tony hiccuped. "I've not been the same since you left me."

"I didn't leave you! You pushed me away!" Steve lunged for the Hulk, but a voice from under the broken statue stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," War Machine said. "The big guy's got a mean right hook." 

"RHODEY! Honey bear, what are you doing under that?" Tony said, and giggled, absolutely giggled, as he peeked under the Hulk's forearm at the gray metal torso half obscured by a copy of Laocoon and his sons being attacked by snakes. Possibly. Hard to tell as it was in several pieces. Looked like the snakes won.

"Rusting. Come on, someone get me out of here. This is embarrassing."

Steve went over to the statue and began moving chunks. Tony 'helped' by offering commentary. Steve was working on the third piece when Clint and Natasha arrived. "Everything under control here, Captain?" Clint asked.

"Yeah." Steve glanced up, for the first time noticing the spectators. No one was too close, probably because the Hulk was still growling, but there were quite a few people watching, with cellphone cameras aimed at them. At him. At his Omega. Steve forced down another surge of irrational jealousy. It was still too soon, he realized. Bruce... Bruce had said nine more days before he and Tony could be together again. He hoped they hadn't set the clock back. But he hadn't _touched_ Tony. Hadn't come close enough even to scent him. And the Hulk's Alpha musk was so strong it covered everyone else's scent, anyway. He still didn't like the way the Hulk was holding Tony, cradling him like something precious. He didn't like the way Tony flirted with Rhodey... thank God, Rhodey had bonded with Thor's brother. Rhodey was safe, Rhodey was a good man, he wouldn't try to steal Steve's Omega.

Steve pulled the last of the large pieces off War Machine and offered Rhodey a hand. Clint and Natasha were standing behind them, doing silent crowd control. Clint fingered his bow and Natasha inspected her weapons whenever one of the onlookers tried to creep too close. Steve was glad they had his back.

"Thanks," Rhodey said, climbing to his feet accompanied by metallic clanks. "I could have blasted my way out, but the HUD went down and I was afraid I'd hit someone by mistake." Rhodey lifted the faceplate and turned to face Tony and the Hulk. "You all right there, Tones?"

"My suit! What have you done to my beautiful suit?"

Rhodey glanced down at himself. Steve didn't think the suit looked that bad. Looked better than Iron Man. Steve took a deep breath and tried not to shout at Tony for being an idiot and disobeying him and _nearly getting killed._

Rhodey said, "What? You're the one looks like he's been in a blender."

"Not HELPING," Steve growled. 

Rhodey gave him a sideways look, full of sympathy. "Yeah, it's been a day. How about we all go back to the Tower for a cup of joe?"

"Are you trying to talk Steve's language?" Tony said. He now had his elbows resting on the Hulk's forearm and his chin leaning on his fists. "That's adorable."

"Tony," Rhodey started to say in a mildly admonishing tone, but Steve caught him by the arm.

"Don't. Just... don't." Steve closed his eyes and rubbed at his temples. Everyone except Tony and the Hulk was giving him sympathetic looks. Tony still looked drunk and dazed. Hulk still looked suspicious and poss... no, _protective_ of Tony. Protective was fine. They were teammates. Science bros, Clint told him Tony and Bruce were science bros. Brothers was fine. Bruce wasn't using science to seduce Tony. He was an Omega, after all. And yeah, Steve knew how creative a horny Omega could get, but even a playboy like Tony knew better than to fool around when he was bonded. But they'd been apart a long time. And Bruce was the one who told them how long they had to stay apart. 

Steve shook himself mentally. Just because Tony was rich enough to give Bruce all the scientific toys he wanted, and so damn pretty... it didn't mean that Bruce wanted him for anything other than a friend. Damn these hormones, they made it like trying to think through fog. He wanted to fight the _Hulk_ , wanted to grab Tony and claim him in the middle of the street, with everyone looking on. And Tony wasn't helping, lying there rumpled and giggling, and _bleeding_ , in another Alpha's arms. Tony had no idea what he did to Steve.

He looked up at the sound of a muffled _oh_ and various other similar noises of astonishment coming from the crowd. The Hulk had shifted back to Bruce Banner, who was sprawled under the weight of a giggling Iron Man. Bruce kicked feebly. "AH. Could someone. Please? Tony, get off, you weigh a ton."

"Nonsense. Mark Six is three hundred and fifty pounds." But Tony rolled the suit over, landing face down in the street. "Bruce! Why is it night? It was day only a moment ago? Oh, no, I'm blind!"

Bruce sighed as Rhodey came over to haul Tony up onto his swaying feet. "I think he's only drunk, but I'll check him out back at the Tower to make sure." Bruce frowned at Steve. "You shouldn't be this close to him."

Steve clenched his fists and watched as his Omega was taken away. Clint came up and slapped him on the back. "Come on, Steve. Let's get out of here before they fine us for littering."

Steve gave Clint a blank look.

Natasha sighed. "Clint, parachutes aren't litter."

Numbly, Steve let them guide him, his eyes locked on Tony. So near. And still untouchable. Tony was fine. He wasn't aching for Steve's touch. Tony was fine without Steve. Why the hell were bonded Alphas so dependent on their Omega? It wasn't fair. And he had to get bonded to Tony of all people. Infuriating, demanding, gorgeous, brilliant, cockeyed Tony. Sometimes he wished he could rip the bond out and go back to feeling nothing.


	29. TONY

"Ow." Tony pressed the ice pack to his head. "What the hell was in that Scotch?"

"I don't think it's so much the Scotch as the mild concussion," Bruce said. He handed Tony a couple of pills and a glass of water. "You were really out of it yesterday."

"Umm... was Steve there? I seem to recall Steve. He looked..." Tony searched for the right word through his pounding headache. He finally settled on, "upset," and swallowed the pills with a water chaser. He'd been feeling queasy quite often since they'd been separated, so he waited a moment to be sure the pills weren't going to reappear.

"Oh, yeah, Steve was there." Bruce took off his glasses, inspected them, and then polished them.

"Brrruuuce, don't be a tease." Tony kicked out his left foot to nudge Bruce in the shin. He really liked Bruce. Bruce was like the brother he'd always wished he had, someone smart enough to challenge him, and nice enough to put up with him, and wicked enough to give as good as he got when Tony's smart mouth got away from him. Really, Bruce was great. And the Hulk was amazing.

Bruce frowned. "The Hulk... you know, I don't recall much about... the other guy... but he was ready to fight Steve to keep you safe. Apparently he thinks you're fragile, or something."

"Well, compared to him, I guess I must seem like lead crystal." Tony tapped on his arc reactor out of habit. "We all must."

"Maybe," Bruce said dubiously. "But the last person he felt that protective of was Betty." 

Tony didn't like it when Bruce got all sad-face. Bruce's Betty had moved on during his lengthy exile. Bruce wasn't bitter about it, he said she couldn't help falling in love with someone, but he was hurt whenever he thought about her. "I'm pretty sure the big guy doesn't have the hots for me."

Bruce laughed. "No. No, you don't have to worry about that. He's... well, he's not about the sex part of being an Alpha, which... thank heavens." 

Tony considered the logistics and winced. "Yeah, that could be a real problem."

"Speaking of problems... I went to Steve today to draw blood. I wanted to make sure yesterday hadn't... you know... set the clock back."

"And?" Tony hated waiting, and waiting to get back with Steve had been worse than waiting for his birthday, Christmas, summer holidays, _and_ the opening of the long-awaited sequel to his favorite movie all rolled up into one.

"Well, there's a slight rise, but not enough to change the schedule, I did factor in a little safety margin. But... he's still upset. He didn't say anything to me, but my guess is that you blowing yourself up really didn't make his day."

"It was a calculated risk. There wasn't time to evacuate the area and what... was I supposed to throw it and not know who it might land on? I just need to beef up the armor." It really should have held up better. The armor itself actually _had_ done well, nothing worse than cosmetic scratches and minor dents on the exterior. But it had transmitted too much shock inside and knocked out both him and the electronics. With both him and Jarvis off-line, crashing was inevitable.

"You need to think about Steve when you do things like that."

"Hey! I heard the story about him throwing himself on a hand grenade back when he was scrawny Steve! He's got no room to complain about me doing the same." Tony felt a little, just a little, guilty. Everyone expected Alphas to be self-sacrificing idiots, but Omegas were supposed to let their Alphas protect them. While he couldn't do that, at least he could understand how helpless and frustrated Steve had felt. "I'll... I guess I'll write him a note? I'm... you know, this would be easier if I could talk to him?"

"Then you probably _would_ delay his hormonal leveling."

Tony frowned. "Note it is, then. For the record, this isn't my strong suit."

***

Six hours later, Tony was on his umpteenth draft of his apology for 'almost getting myself killed in a heroic way which you should have been proud of, but I guess not, because it's shitty having to watch that and...' when Jarvis interrupted his dictation.

"Sir, Director Fury requests admission."

"What? A debriefing? I'd think he'd be too embarrassed, what with him shooting up his own toy boat while of unsound Loki minion mind." Tony was tempted to tell old one eye to go to the back of the line, but then, he was _sick_ of trying to write, and Fury would be a good excuse to put it off a while longer. And he was curious to know what was going to happen, now that Rhodey had bonded with the little... all right, _tall_ troublemaker. Bruce had filled him in on the bare details, and Pepper had talked to Rhodey while Tony was sleeping. (And then Pepper had yelled at Tony and maybe cried a little before leaving the Tower to go do some Very Important Stuff. He loved Pepper, but she was all about the Very Important Stuff.) "Sure, let the spy into the Avengers' meeting room... but watch that he doesn't do anything sneaky before I can get there." Tony headed for the exit.

"Sir, he specifically requested Captain Rogers' presence."

"Huh." Tony stopped. "I guess that makes sense. Steve is our leader." Tony scratched at his head. "Well, ok, Fury can come to the workshop afterward if he wants to know my side of things, which was, 'Iron Man was awesome, saved the day again'. I should have that printed up on mission report forms, be a great time-saver." Not that they'd actually _been_ on any missions, yet, but Coulson kept running hypothetical situations past them, and everyone was supposed to say what they would be doing when the fire-breathing telekinetic grasshoppers tried to melt the Statue of Liberty, etc. Thor's essays were beautiful; he recited them in epic format for Jarvis to send as video. Steve took the reports seriously, and Clint and Natasha got away with murder by claiming they'd be following Steve's orders. Bruce smiled and evaded the whole thing by writing, 'The other guy smashed the bad guys.' Tony's plan of 'attack' got sent back for details. He'd added them in what seemed to him a logical, impossible to misinterpret, format.

"Indeed, sir. I'm quite sure Director Fury would consider that an improvement over your last mission report."

"Not my fault he doesn't read Esperanto." Tony reluctantly turned his attention back to his 'I'm sorry, but you know I was right' letter. "He probably would have preferred it in Klingon. Remind me to get a bat'leth for Fury's birthday."

"Do you think that wise, sir? He might wish to test the edge on you."

"A _nerf_ bat'leth. I'm not entirely crazy, you know."

"Of course not, sir. Presenting the director of SHIELD with a nerf bat'leth is an eminently sane thing to do. Whatever was I thinking."

"I knew you'd see it my way, Jarvis."

***

Tony couldn't go down to join the meeting physically, or even interact with them over the vid system, but he could watch the live feed. It wasn't that he was expecting Fury to tell the others anything different than what he'd tell Tony, but... he just... wanted to watch Steve at a time when it wouldn't be... you know, like a _creeper_. He'd been very, very good about not sneaking peeks at Steve through Jarvis's surveillance, but this was entirely different. Perfectly innocent. He wasn't going to memorize the fit of Steve's shirts- and why the man always got t-shirts two sizes too small was beyond Tony's understanding, but not beyond his appreciation-- no, he was just... you know, being part of the team. Rah, rah, go team.

Fury entered the room after the other Avengers (minus Thor, who was apparently giving Rhodey the Asgardian equivalent of the 'shovel talk' on the helicarrier where Loki was back in confinement while they tried to figure out what to do with him. Tony's suggestion of life imprisonment with conjugal visits from Rhodey hadn't been dismissed out of hand, which kind of made Tony nervous. People weren't supposed to _like_ his plans.) were all assembled. Fury was accompanied by a man wearing something not totally unlike a male version of Natasha's catsuit. Except the leather was a little looser and the jacket looked like it would come off without exposing boobs. Not that Tony spent much time looking at the suit, because he was fascinated by the man's left arm. Hell if that wasn't a cyber-implant. Tony would have been itching to inspect it closer, but he was a little put off by the bug-man goggles and Hannibal Lector face-mask the man was also sporting. He knew SHIELD was an equal opportunity employer, but he thought at least their active agents were required to have all functional parts. Then again, the arc reactor wasn't the reason Fury didn't like Tony, so... whatever. 

Natasha had sprung to her feet from the couch the moment the man entered the room, but she didn't say anything for the brief moment it took Tony to assess the man for himself as 'dangerous' so he wasn't surprised that she was defensive. "Director Fury, why is he here?"

Fury tilted his head to one side, and smirked. Admittedly it was a scary Fury-style smirk, but still a self-satisfied, aren't I clever, smirk. Tony recognized it from his mirror. "Stand down, Agent Romanoff."

"Sir." Natasha stood her ground, and Clint sidled into place next to her, silently supportive. "I do not question your authority, but I would like to know why the mercenary assassin I brought in two weeks ago is now standing, _armed_ in front of me."

"Funny thing, that," Fury said, ignoring the way all the Avengers were now lined up and tense. He didn't even blink his eye at the shimmer of green over Bruce's features or Steve bringing his shield up to the ready.

"Jarvis," Tony snapped, "get the Mark Seven ready to deploy. If Fury is still under Loki's control..."

Jarvis replied instantly, without snark. "I am already preparing it, sir."

Fury said, "Loki couldn't control him, because he's an Omega, so when Loki made the mistake of pulling off the guards on his cell he escaped. You fought him."

"I remember. I put him down," Natasha said. "I didn't use lethal force. That was _my_ mistake."

"No, no, see, _that_ would have been a mistake. Some combination of Loki's... whatever... and the crack you gave him on his skull let the light in. He woke up a new man."

The cyborg spoke for the first time. "No. I woke up my old self. I remember who I really am."

Steve dropped the shield with a ringing clatter. He stepped forward. "Bucky?" he said, and his voice was raw with disbelief and painful hope. "It can't be."

"Yeah, Steve." The man pulled off his goggles and took off the mask. He grinned at Steve. "I'm back."

Tony stopped breathing. He suspected his heart paused, too. He watched as Steve lunged forward to wrap his arms around his long-lost love, kissing him and crying. "Well. Fuck," Tony said after a long minute. "I... didn't see that coming." He watched for another moment, and then had to run to the toilet to be exhaustively sick.


	30. STEVE

Fury was talking, not that Steve was paying him much attention. "There you go, Captain. I said I'd see what I could do about bringing your Omega back from the dead."

Steve dimly recalled that conversation. It was as if he'd been a different person, so sick from bond-loss he didn't care about anything. He grinned and hugged Bucky hard, and then remembered his strength. "Oh, hey, Buck, are you all right? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, no, it's fine, Steve." Bucky took a deep breath and then said, "I've gotta tell you now, I'm not the same as I was."

"Of course you are, you're..." And then Steve stopped talking and laid his hand gently against the side of Bucky's face. "You haven't aged a day," he said in mingled wonder and fear. Was this real?

Bucky glanced at the others and frowned. "It's a long, dirty story, Steve. I don't remember all of it, don't _want_ to remember all of it. You know Schmidt gave me, gave a whole bunch of us, the same juice he took. Everyone else died or... worse than died. I thought I was lucky; I thought it had just made me sick."

"The serum worked? You're like me, now?" Steve thought that wasn't bad, wasn't bad at all. Obviously it hadn't turned Bucky into a monster, and it kept him alive for Steve.

"Not quite. They told me you went down in the ice, saving people. I've been... the Russians _put_ me on ice, gave me this..." He lifted his left arm, and for the first time Steve realized that it wasn't armor, not like Tony's suit. It was his _arm_. Bucky probably could tell how upset Steve was, he'd always been attuned to Steve's feelings. He grabbed Steve and shook him a little. "The arm's fine. I don't care about that. But, they took my _mind_ , Steve. They made me into a weapon. They pointed me, and I did their killing. All these years... they'd wake me up, give me a mission, take me back and freeze me again. And I didn't see anything wrong in it. Steve... if they'd told me you were the target, I would have killed you. I... I'll understand if you don't want me any longer."

"Are you nuts? Of course I want you!" Steve cleared his throat. "Um, you know, with the bond-loss I wasn't any good, so Fury found an Omega who was willing to help out by bonding with me."

"Huh. Yeah, well, that sounds romantic." Bucky narrowed his eyes and pulled away from Steve to look at the only other Omega in the room, Bruce. Bruce was looking uncomfortable and embarrassed, as everyone except Fury was. "Him? Geez, Steve, they couldn't do better for you than that? He looks pretty soft!" Bucky feinted throwing a punch at Bruce.

Steve caught his arm. "No! It's not Bruce, and please, Bucky, do not make Bruce angry." Steve glanced at Fury. "Didn't you tell him anything about the Avengers?"

Fury shook his head. "I got as far as telling him you were leading a team, and after that, he stopped listening. Figured you'd fill him in on the details."

"It's Tony Stark. Howard's son."

"That's... ok, that's weird," Bucky said. "If he's anything like his old man, I can't see him settling down. So where is he? He's on your team, right? And he's your Omega?"

"Well, yeah, sorta." Steve ran both his hands through his hair, trying to figure this out. Tony was his Omega. But Bucky was his Omega _first_ and when you stopped and figured it out, Tony and he had really hardly been together any time at all. "I was out of control whenever I was with him, you know, Alpha hormones, so we had to separate. We were supposed to get back together eight days from now."

"So... you're saying Stark drives you crazy, and you had to keep away from him? Hell, Steve, that doesn't sound like he was helping at all!" Bucky was angry, every line in his body shouted it. "What kind of asshole treats their Alpha like that?"

Bruce made a low, growling noise. Everyone looked at him. His eyes were glittering green. "Ah. Excuse me. I think I may have left an experiment running in Tony's workshop. I'd better go check on it. If, you know, you discuss any team business, you can send me a memo." He gave Bucky a bright, false, smile. "I'm glad Steve got what he wanted. It's nice to know some people get lucky." And then he left.

"That guy's strange," Bucky announced. He looked at Clint and Natasha. "I think I remember you," he said to Natasha. "Didn't we... work together a few times?"

Natasha shrugged. "Best not to remember those days. I don't." 

Clint said, "Bruce is right, this got way too personal. Why don't you and Steve figure things out, and he'll tell you about us? And about Thor and Loki. Things... are complicated around here right now. So, lets try to give each other some space. And really, do _not_ push Bruce. That's a very unhealthy thing to do."

Steve said, "Tony teased him all the time."

Clint shook his head. "You're not saying anyone should base their actions on Tony's behavior, are you? Look, 'tasha and I are gonna go up to the helicarrier. I need to see Thor, and she wants to talk to Loki. Nice meeting you, Bucky."

Somehow Natasha gathered Fury up with them-- possibly the glance she gave at the cast on his arm might have had something to do with it. And then Bucky and Steve were alone.

Bucky grinned. "I thought they'd never leave." He pulled Steve into a deep kiss. Steve moaned and went along with it for a few moments and then he remembered where they were and broke the embrace.

"No, Bucky, we can't, not here. This is... the Avengers'... and.. Tony's..."

"So what? You just said he was only a 'sorta', that's a nothing in my book." Bucky moved close again.

"Not here. I have my own floor, there's no surveillance on it. Tony promised."

"But you think he could be watching here?" Bucky scowled. "I never was into giving shows. All right, let's go to your floor." He grabbed Steve's hand with his own, with the warm flesh and blood hand.

"I really should talk to Tony first." Steve was weakening. He wanted to do the right thing. This was... well, rude, at the very least. They hadn't officially broken up.

"Do like the 'don't touch guy' said. Send him a memo." And then Bucky grinned, and it was like no time had passed at all, Bucky was daring him, and Steve was going along with it.

"I dunno, Buck," Steve tried to resist. "How would you feel if I was stepping out with another guy without even talking to you first?"

Bucky gave him a _look_. "What, like getting bonded to some guy who leaves you needy? I'd be pissed, Steve. I am pissed."

"I couldn't help it," Steve said softly. "Tony and I...we sorta clicked."

Bucky sighed. "Look, right now you reek of need. I don't know how you're even thinking at all. If this Tony gives a damn for you, he'll be grateful that we're doing this, so you can stop hurting. And if he doesn't give a damn for you, then you don't owe him anything."

"I still... I should tell him you're back, and it's not his fault, just..."

"What's his face, Bruce? Yeah, he said he was going to Tony. He's mad at me, so he'll tell Tony for you. You said you couldn't talk to him, right?"

"Yeah, all right." After all, he wasn't sure that he could go see Tony without them getting into another fight. He should be fine, now that he had Bucky back. He didn't feel the way he did with Tony. It was warm and comfortable, not crazy the way Tony made him. He'd get his blasted hormones under control and then he'd figure out this mess. Bruce would tell Tony, he'd see that Steve really didn't have a choice. Everyone knew Alphas had _needs_. Tony would be angry, but he'd understand. Steve thought. He tried to think. But Bucky was so close and smelling so good, and _his_. Thinking was too difficult. He led Bucky to the elevator.

***

"Nice place you've got here," Bucky said, without looking around once they exited the elevator on Steve's floor. He grabbed Steve by the collar and pulled him close for another kiss. "Where's the bedroom?"

Steve chuckled. "You're not in heat, are you?"

"Nah." Bucky pulled back slightly. "I meant to tell you-- didn't think it mattered because you can't... but they didn't want to risk me being off the roster for maternity leave. So, you know, when we were thinking we'd choose a cooperative Alpha and get me knocked up so's you could have a kid... it's not going to happen."

"I'm sorry, Bucky." Steve brought them back close together and leaned his forehead against Bucky's. "It was a nice dream, that's all."

Bucky shrugged. "Hey, I was never the maternal type, anyway."

"I don't know, you took care of me just fine."

"Yeah, well, you made _Sister Agatha_ want to take care of you, and I always figured her for Dracula's granddaughter." Bucky grinned. "I can still get all hot and juicy for my guy, though."

"Yeah?" Steve stroked his hand down Bucky's back. Bucky smelled so good, and so familiar. "Oh, Buck. I missed you so bad." This was love. Maybe what he felt for Tony was just... biology. 

"Let's stop talking, and get onto doing." 

"Yeah." Steve picked up Bucky in a fireman's carry. Bucky yelped, and then laughed and hung on. 

"March on, mes amis!" he shouted.

Steve dumped Bucky on the bed and started undressing. Bucky got up onto his elbows and watched for a moment. "I think this is the biggest bed we've ever had. Come to think of it, it's probably bigger than the _flat_ we shared. I guess maybe I could be nice to Stark."

Steve was relieved. "I'd appreciate it, Buck. He really is a good guy--he's a little oddball, but he's a hard worker, and not a tight-fisted miser like most rich guys."

"Huh. You really like him, Steve?"

"Yeah, I sorta do." Steve shrugged and resumed taking off his clothes. "I like all the team, they're a great bunch once you get to know them. I don't want you to get off on the wrong foot with them."

Bucky nodded. "Got it. New guy rules, don't make waves until I'm aboard the boat."

Steve laughed. "Get your kit off, soldier."

Bucky took off his jacket, and then his shirt. "The arm doesn't come off. In case you're wondering."

"Well, I was, a little." Steve sat down on the bed, naked, and reached out to stroke Tony's... _Bucky's_... warm skin and firm muscle. Then he encountered the cool harshness of metal. "Anything I need to know about it? I mean, right now."

"I have to be careful not to get any come in the works, or it'll short out," Bucky said, seriously.

"Oh. Oh. I'm... I'm sure there are some supplies here..." Steve turned to the bedside table and began rummaging through the drawer.

Bucky rolled onto his back and burst into laughter. "Steve, you're still _way_ too easy!"

"Why, you..." Steve snatched up a pillow and threw it at Bucky.

Bucky pulled the pillow off his face and grinned at Steve. "I haven't changed. Not where it matters, Steve."

"Yeah." Steve sat astride Bucky and leaned down to kiss him. "You always did like pulling my leg. It gets you all hot and bothered." Steve cupped one hand over Bucky's still clothed groin. "Still does."

"Yeah," Bucky breathed, tilting his head back to expose his throat and closing his eyes in complete trust. "Dunno why."

Steve kissed and nipped his way down Bucky's throat, trying not to put pressure on his chest, until he remembered that he didn't have to worry about the arc reactor. "Bucky," Steve murmured as he opened his Omega's trousers and took him in hand. Bucky always gave in around now, went all agreeable and Omega. It was like night and day. Tony was like that, too... maybe Steve did have a type. He pulled Bucky's trousers down and scraped a line with his teeth down the inner thigh. Bucky, and his cock, both showed their appreciation for the stimulation.

Next came the boots. He might possibly have destroyed the fasteners in the process. Not that he cared. He sent the boots flying to thump against the far wall and leaned back to take in the sight. Bucky was all sculpted lean muscle, and even the metal arm had a severe beauty in its functionality. "God, you're so beautiful, Buck. I never understood why you wanted me before I got all fixed up."

Bucky opened his eyes and smiled hazily up at Steve. "I always saw you like this. It's just now it's on the outside." He let his legs fall open. "I want to see your face this time, Steve. I want to be sure I'm not dreaming in the freezer."

"Me, too, Buck." 

Bucky handed Steve the pillow and arched back onto his shoulders to make it easier for Steve to get him arranged comfortably. Sometimes they liked it crazy rough, but then there were times when they needed the caring more than the release.

Steve scented Bucky's slick. It wasn't as sharp as when he went into heat, but it reminded Steve of home, of belonging. Bucky's body remembered Steve and wanted him. Steve felt an embarrassingly possessive growl rumble in his throat, but Bucky just smiled and reached down to pull up his legs, offering. Steve needed him so badly, needed it so much he only held back for a moment, rutting against his Omega just long enough to be certain of his welcome, and then he was sliding in, hot and wet and deep, while Bucky groaned and shifted.

"Oh, yeah, Steve. That's it, baby. Come on." Bucky let go of his legs and clutched at Steve's arms. The metal hand was cold, but it warmed up quickly. It felt a little strange at first, but... not like Tony, not like a weakness, not like he should be ashamed of his desires. Bucky was strong, Bucky was always stronger than him. He didn't have to worry about hurting him. The slick scent got stronger, and he fit in so easy. It was good, so good. 

"Mine," Steve growled, twisting until he could nip at Bucky's throat and neck and shoulder, leaving blushing bruises that would probably fade before morning, if the serum worked for him the way it did for Steve. He wouldn't be embarrassed... excited... the next day, like with Tony. Tony smirking and wearing ratty shirts with saggy collars so he could show off the marks in front of Pepper and Rhodey. Steve... had liked that... liked showing off. 

But Bucky was strong, he was Steve's match, and they'd never fight like cats and dogs, and hurt each other. Steve kissed Bucky hard, trying to fill his senses with his Omega, and get Tony out of his mind, out of his heart. It wasn't fair, not fair to Bucky, not fair to be thinking of someone else. But God, how he wished he could have both of them! Steve came hard as that realization hit him. He slumped on top of Bucky, shuddering and fighting the conflicting impulse to cover Bucky forever and never get up, and to go find Tony and drag him back to his bed.

"Steve?" Bucky had come too, but Steve had been so wrapped up in himself, he hadn't noticed. He felt his face flush with shame. If he hadn't been knotted, he would have got up and left the bed. "Steve? What's wrong, baby?"

Steve buried his face in the juncture of Bucky's throat and shoulder. "I'm so messed up, Buck. I want him, too. It's wrong. It's unnatural. I love you and you're my Omega, but so is he."

"Well. Fuck," Bucky said.

"But we just... we said things, Buck. And he's sick and he doesn't love me. I'm not sure he even _can_ love anyone. I mean... Fury got us together so I could function as Captain America, and Tony went along with it because he wanted to be on the team. And because no one else would have him. He doesn't scent right, you know?"

Bucky made soothing noises and petted Steve's hair. "It'll be all right, baby. It's just... it'll take you a little while, that's all. I'm here. I'm all you need, all you ever needed. You know that."

Steve nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Me and Tony... we weren't going to work out. We were too different -I'm just a kid from Brooklyn and he's, well, he's not, we don't belong together. I'll have to tell him. I don't want to hurt him, but you were mine first. I really only was his Alpha for a few weeks, heck, less than a month. I was yours all my life. If I have to give up one of you, it's got to be Tony."

"Yeah." Bucky held Steve tight. "Stick with your own kind, Steve, you know that's the best way."

Steve sighed. "It doesn't feel best. It feels like chewing off my foot to get out of a trap."

Bucky didn't say anything more. He just hugged Steve hard.


	31. TONY

Tony was contemplating further communion with the lavatory gods when Jarvis announced Bruce's arrival. Tony leaned his face against the cool tile wall and closed his eyes. He must look incredibly pathetic, but at the moment he couldn't raise enough energy to care. He should have shut the door, but there hadn't been time.

"Tony?" Bruce called. From the sound of it, he was being polite and staying far enough away to give Tony the pretense of privacy. Tony really did love Bruce at that moment. 

_All right. Time to pull yourself together, Mr. Stark._ Tony got up off his knees, wiped his mouth and flushed. "Be out in a minute, Bruce!" he called. 

"Are you all right?" Bruce was closer now. Tony still wasn't looking at him.

"Sure, fine. Never better. Just... bad coffee creamer, I think. My stomach's been a little off lately, you know." Tony rinsed and spat into the sink, and then splashed cool water on his face. 

"Yeah." 

Tony grabbed a towel and dried off. He turned to Bruce with a grin. "So, I hear Steve's Omega (Tony's voice didn't falter, he was proud of himself) turned up. Must have been carrying a four-leaf clover and a whole bunny's worth of feet. Isn't that amazing? Fell off a cliff and seventy years later, landed right in his lover's arms."

"Tony."

"Yes?" Tony went over to his desk and began calling up projects. "You need something, Bruce?"

"How much did you hear?"

Tony shrugged. "Enough. I'm a busy man. I didn't hang around for the second act. Lassie comes home always gives me hives."

Bruce picked up a beaker full of something green. Tony wasn't sure, but it might have been one of the smoothies he'd hidden so Dummy wouldn't feel bad that Tony didn't drink it. Bruce sniffed it and then poured it down the hazardous waste drain. He started puttering around, cleaning up in general. "He had the super soldier serum. Seems to have taken."

"Oh, ok, that explains it." Tony pulled apart a diagram and prodded it.

"He was brainwashed, and made into an assassin for the Russians." More noise of things being collected and put into the autoclave.

"Fascinating." Tony turned the piece and flipped it inside out.

"Looks like Fury wants him on the Avengers. And Steve seems to like the idea."

"Hmm? Well, it seems a bit superfluous having two former Russian assassins, but hey, a spare is always useful." Tony tried really hard not to sound bitter. "You never know when you might lose the original and need a temporary replacement."

"Tony."

That did it, the pity in Bruce's voice was too much. He turned to face Bruce. "Let's be realistic, Bruce. This Bucky is not only Steve's first love, he's young, handsome, healthy... hell, he's _super_ and no doubt Fertile McTurtle. Steve would have to be an idiot not to take him over me and as much as I hate to admit it, Steve's no Dummy. And hey, I knew going in that it was only temporary, no hearts broken here, Brucie." Tony grinned. "I'm fine. Steve's happy. The Avengers got another gun. Coulson gets to fill out new forms. It's all good."

"It... changes things, Tony. Don't pretend it doesn't."

Tony sighed. "It doesn't matter. Have you ever known Steve to change his mind once it's made up? He fell in love with Bucky. He's still in love with Bucky. That's it. It's a done deal. It'll be awkward for a while, but I can do awkward. Awkward is my middle name."

Bruce smiled slightly. "I thought it was Edward."

Tony waved a hand. "Idle rumors, never listen to the gossip mills, Bruce. Come on, lend me your brain, this is a new thing here, I want your opinion."

"Sure." Bruce moved to Tony's side and looked at the diagram with him. That was nice. Tony was glad Bruce knew when to shut up. It wasn't Tony's strong suit. "Us science bros have to stick together," Bruce said.

Tony laughed. "Yeah, we do."

***

"You're going to talk to Steve while you're wearing the suit?" Bruce watched the machines assembling the armor on Tony.

"Yeah. You know, he's still got that little control problem with my presence, hasn't he?"

"Um. Probably. I could do another blood test."

Tony was almost completely encased. "He's got his missing puzzle piece back, and everything should be all sunshine and roses, but lets face it. Two super soldiers, and one uncanned me? Not an even playing field."

"Huh... you know, I think you just don't want Steve to scent you."

"Of course I don't want him to scent me. That's why the self-contained environment." The helmet went on and Tony breathed easier. He was isolated, insulated. Perfect conditions for something volatile. "This way I won't affect him, and we can talk rationally."

"You don't want him to scent your feelings."

Tony huffed. "Please. I'm not a virgin jilted at the altar." Tony began clank-walking towards the exit. "See you later, Bruce." Tony waved back at him.

"Yeah, all right."

***

Tony was glad that Pepper hadn't been in town for the last few days. Bad enough she'd see the footage of him falling like a shiny, shiny rock. He was braced for her to phone to scold him. But Tony getting dumped for a new...well, new, but old, model? She'd have come running, sure that she could make everything right, even if it meant taking on Captain America. And thank God that Rhodey was all tied up, well, not _him_ but who knew what restraints they put on Loki after his mind-bending game...anyway, Rhodey was newly bonded, and bemused and distracted, and Tony certainly hoped he was showing Loki just how not puny a Midgardian Alpha could be. Rhodey deserved respect. He deserved someone who'd... well, give him a lot less shit than Tony had while they were trying to figure out if they could bond.

So, this could be worse, could be a lot worse. "Jarvis, tell Steve that I'll be waiting for him and Bucky in the common room." The couch was strong enough to hold the Hulk, provided he was gentle with it, so it wasn't any problem for him to sit down in the armor and put one ankle over the other knee, projecting nonchalance. He really wished he had a drink. Maybe he should man up and go see a doctor about his nervous stomach. His stomach did a flip-flop at the mere thought. Doctors... no. He'd just stick to bland food until whatever it was went away. Of course the problem was Steve, and the last thing Tony wanted was for him to go away. 

The elevator doors opened, and Steve came out, followed closely by his new-old Omega. Tony tried to lounge a little more. "Oh, hi, guys."

Bucky gave Steve a sideways glance. "He's kidding, right?"

Steve shook his head. Tony noticed that Steve's right hand hovered behind Bucky. Some kind of Alpha support thing. Tony remembered Steve doing that with him. He had liked it, against his will. "He's wearing the suit for protection," Steve said wearily. "We're not going to hurt you, Tony."

"Of course you're not. You know me, I just like to show off." 

"Tony... we need to talk," Steve said.

"Yeah. I got that."

Bucky kept looking from Steve to Iron Man.

"Bucky and I..."

"Yeah, I got that, too."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Look, Stark, you know Steve. He's a good guy and he keeps his word. Well, he gave it to me first. It's that simple."

Tony got up from the couch. "Sure. I understand. No hard feelings. Welcome to the Avengers, Bucky." Tony held out his gauntled hand. "Hey, do you have a last name of your own, because I gotta tell you, if you take Steve's name, people are gonna laugh at Buck Rogers."

"It's Barnes." Bucky grinned and shook Iron Man's hand. Tony could hear the metal creak under the pressure. "Yeah, I know. You know what's even funnier? When he first appeared in Amazing Stories, his name was _Anthony_ Rogers."

"Well, shit," Tony said, and he laughed, beginning to like Bucky despite himself.

***

"Clint informs me that we have a new comrade," Thor said as he strode into Tony's workshop later that day. Jarvis announced him, but didn't try to stop him. Thor had an embarrassing habit of knocking with Mjolnir and it grew tedious replacing glass doors so frequently. Thor frowned. "He also said that Steve has left you for this person. I would have asked our captain to explain this, but he is... occupied."

Tony looked at Clint who'd followed Thor in. Clint shrugged. "I told him that Barnes was Steve's original Omega. Romantic stuff, you know?"

"But surely you have the greater claim on Steve's affections?" Thor said to Tony. "Your need is greater, I ..."

Tony waved Thor to silence. "Please. Tony Stark doesn't need anyone. You know what a playboy is, Thor? That's a person who won't be tied down to any one relationship. Sure, Steve and I hit it off, and it was good, but I'd probably have got bored with him after a while. He's a nice guy, clean-cut, wholesome, all that. I need excitement in my life."

"You need an Alpha of your own," Thor said. "I have never seen a bond so close as yours."

Tony grimaced. "Too close, I think. Stifling. Suffocating. I need air, Thor. And Steve needs the one person remaining from his past, his childhood love and all that goop. If I want flowers and chocolate, I order them delivered. I don't need or want to be coddled and taken care of. I've done without an Alpha all my life, I'm set in my ways, and I like it fine." Tony turned back to his keyboard. "I'm going it alone, and I'm really, really fine with it." Tony appreciated Thor's concern, but it was better to convince yourself you couldn't have what you wanted than to feel sorry for yourself. Big lesson he'd learned from his dad-- if someone doesn't want you, then fighting for their attention just makes you a loser. Tony Stark was not a fucking loser. If he wanted Rogers, he could have him. He just didn't want him any more. 

"Is it so, the Omegas of Midgard are accustomed to this? To -'going it alone'?" Thor asked Clint. "It seems unnatural. And wrong."

"Yeah." Clint's expression was blank. "But it's worse staying with someone for the wrong reason."

After a moment, Thor nodded. "I can see wisdom in that. To be chained to another out of duty, when the heart leans elsewhere..."

Tony laughed. "You're so... romantic, Thor. I know it seemed like Steve loved me, and he said it, and meant it at the time, but he was broken up from losing his Omega. Bond-loss, you know that on Asgard?"

"Yes, the Alpha-loneliness. And this Bucky is Steve's one?"

"Sure." Tony was glad that Thor was accepting the situation. It would have been beyond weird if an Omega chastised an Alpha for breaking a bond. Really weird. He wasn't looking forward to trying to talk Rhodey down once his honeymoon with Thor's brother was over, but at least Rhodey wasn't an alien. He knew Rhodey wouldn't zap Steve with lightning.

"If ever you have need, I shall be here, friend Tony," Thor said. He nudged Clint with an elbow. Clint managed to go with it, Tony noticed. Thor was an awfully rough and tumble Omega. Good thing Clint was unbreakable. "And my Alpha, of course, he will assist you if you need it."

Tony blinked. He wasn't quite sure, but it sounded as though Thor was offering to pimp Clint to Tony. "Um. Yes, thank you, that's very... kind of you." Then he smiled at Clint. "I'll bear it in mind." He was gratified when Clint looked uneasy.


	32. RHODEY

"What the HELL? I mean, WHAT?" Rhodey didn't shout. He merely _projected_. It was something you learned when you were teaching airmen. And other THICK-HEADED IDIOTS. Like the idiot in front of him who was greasy and smelled like he hadn't showered in three days. Tony had probably been pouting in his workshop ever since the fight on the helicarrier.

Tony winced without looking up from the... whatever it was-- project of vital importance, Tony would probably say, but it looked suspiciously like a brassiere mounted with rocket-launchers to Rhodey. 

"Jarvis, turn down the volume," Tony said.

"I regret my inability to do so, sir. Colonel Rhodes is not equipped with such a mechanism. An oversight on the part of his creator, no doubt."

Tony finally looked up. "Oh, hey. Thought you'd still be exploring the bonded life, Sugar Puff."

"Don't call me that," Rhodey said, automatically. "You look like shit." He was used to seeing Tony wasted, exhausted from creative frenzy, even subdued to the point of apathy from slow poisoning, but this was a new kind of not-good look. He couldn't quite classify it. Unhappy and ignoring his body's needs, yeah, but something more. If he didn't know better, he'd think Omegas could suffer from bond-loss.

"Thank you, you brighten my day as always, Rhodey." Tony gestured and the boob-cannon, or whatever it was, shrank and put itself away. "So, why aren't you still in the arms of your blushing Omega?"

"Because his brother came up and told me about you and Steve. What the ever-loving fuck, Tony! How could you let him do that?"

"Don't go picking a fight with Steve over this! I mean it. You can't shotgun-bond Captain America. That would be... unpatriotic, and you've practically got the US flag tattooed on your ass."

"Against regs," Rhodey said. He opened his arms out wide. "Come here, you little shit."

"You say the nicest things." Tony went over to Rhodey and let him hug. "There, do you feel better?"

"Not yet," Rhodey replied. He poked at Tony's belly. "You haven't been eating."

"Ow! Bruce brings me food. All the time!" Tony leaned into Rhodey's embrace. 

"Yeah. I spoke to him, too. He said you wait until he's not looking and throw it away. Paranoid much?"

"I don't like Mickey Finned coffee. Ruins the taste. You know, people have this exaggerated idea of the importance of sleep. Napoleon said that men only need four hours a night." 

Rhodey leaned his chin over Tony's shoulder, holding him tight. "And where's Napoleon now? Dead, that's where."

"Pretty sure his sleeping habits had nothing to do with it." Tony sighed. "Ok, it's a shitty situation, and my stomach's upset, and the old insomnia is kicking up. It's nothing new. I can handle it."

"Do you want to watch me kick Captain America's ass?"

"Um.... on the one hand, no, but on the other hand... God, that would be so hot. Can we get Pepper? You and Pepper, tag-teaming Captain America. The video rights would be... well, they'd pay for a few trinkets..."

Rhodey chuckled and patted Tony on the back, which felt too bony for his liking. "I haven't told Pepper yet. I'm not sure I'm that mad at the Captain."

Tony nodded. Rhodey felt the movement in his whole body. He ached for Tony, ached for the fool with all his heart. Damn it, why were all of today's Omegas so fucked up and complicated? His father had been very happy to stay home and keep house. Never a discontented moment in that man's whole life. And here his son was trying to deal with Bruce and Loki and dear God, Tony... three of the most fucked up Omegas an Alpha could hope to meet. He didn't feel responsible for Bruce at least, but the other two were enough grief for a battalion of Alphas.

"Tony, you're sure you're all right with this. I mean, Steve and his... whatever... living under your roof?"

"Yeah. It's... not ideal, but it wouldn't really make me feel better if I didn't know where Steve was. Or what he was doing."

"You're not _watching_ them, are you?"

"No!" Tony pulled away. "Despite what you and Pepper think, I'm not a masochist, or a peeping Tom." Tony paused. "Well, there was that time at M.I.T. but in my defense, the hole in the shower wall was there before I got there."

"Quit joking, Tony."

"I have to, Rhodey. You know me."

"Yeah."

"So. How's it going being bonded to Loki?"

Rhodey decided to accept the change of subject. He'd got more of an admission out of Tony than he'd expected. "Surprisingly, not that bad. I've had experience dealing with spoiled brat Omegas."

Tony grinned. "See? I knew if I only trained you up right, you'd make some Omega very happy."

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "Yes, Loki was very appreciative of the cherry stem trick."

"And so he should be." 

"He also appreciates my cooking," Rhodey hinted broadly. "On Asgard they don't have junk food. Or coffee."

"Remind me never to visit Asgard."

"Let's get out of here. I'll spring for lunch. Pizza?" So it wasn't exactly health food, at least it was something Tony never turned down.

"Mmm, anchovies and pineapple."

"That's just sick, Tony."

"You don't..." 

An alarm went off. "Sir!" Jarvis announced, "there appears to be a gigantic insect climbing the Tower!"

"What?" Tony was suddenly all fire and bounce, snatching up a pair of bracelets from his work table and snapping them on. "Double-check that-- deploy the Mark Seven while you're at it."

The invisible screen above the desk filled with images of the outside of the Tower.

Jarvis said, "My mistake, sir, there appear to be not one, but _a horde_ of gigantic insects climbing the Tower. A mutated form of termite, I believe... with a taste for steel."

"Oh, hell, no," Tony said. "I am not having the Tower tented." A suit flew in from another part of the workroom and began folding itself around Tony.

"Hey!" Rhodey protested, "I'm not going to sit here while you fly off! I left War Machine on the balcony, I'll get it." He turned, but a flash of movement caught his eye. One of the termites had reached the balcony and bit the helmet off his suit. "Son of a BITCH, I just had it polished. That means WAR! Tony..."

"Yeah, yeah, I got an extra play suit for you. Jarvis! Get the Patriot out here for Rhodey."

Rhodey winced when he saw the new suit. Red, white, and blue. With stars. And Lord help him, tiny white eagle wings. And of course his name, rank and serial number. "I hate you, Tony. Really." He stepped up to the suit and let Tony's bots help him get into it.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Tony said.

Rhodey ignored that in favor of checking out the HUD. At least Tony had the good sense not to gussie it up with gadgets and gewgaws. It only took him a few seconds to locate and figure out the minor differences from War Machine's systems. "I'm good to go." He thwacked Iron Man in the back of the head. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Would I?" Rhodey couldn't see the smirk, but he knew it was there. Iron Man took off, blasting through the workshop door and then a convenient window. Rhodey followed, reluctant to smash new holes and get Pepper pissed off at him.

"Hell yes," Iron Patriot's voice was pretty good. Rhodey, but with more reverb. "Don't get yourself killed and you can have your disgusting pizza."

"Done deal!" Iron Man blasted a termite that was leaping for the Chrysler building. "Hey! Art Deco national treasure, bugs!"

Rhodey laughed and blew away another bug. "You built the Tower here so Pepper could have the Chrysler building for a view?"

"Well, they wouldn't SELL it to me!" Iron Man rolled over onto his back in mid-air and shot some more termites.

After that things got busy. Termites were all over the place. And some guy in a gauzy iridescent cape was flapping around riding on the back of the biggest bug. And the rest of the Avengers showed up. Clint was doing some crazy ass shooting from the roof. Rhodey was pretty sure arrows _couldn't_ fly like that- he'd been Tony's weapons liaison for too many years not to know impossible trajectories, but hey, maybe that was the guy's super power. Thor was using his hammer like a helicopter, which Rhodey, as a trained pilot, simply averted his eyes from. Super power or not, it _hurt_ his soul to see that. Captain America whaling the tar out of the ground-bound wingless version bugs was a welcome and wholesome sight in comparison, even though Rhodey was still kinda pissed off at him for dumping Tony. The guy with the metal arm standing back to back with Cap must be his Bucky. Brave, Rhodey grudgingly admitted, and not ugly. Natasha was with them, which made sense, they could give each other support.

Rhodey figured they had it handled when the Hulk showed up. Luckily he seemed to consider the Chrysler building off limits for bug splattering. Who knew the Hulk was a connoisseur of the arts?

Then, of course the nut riding the queen, whatever, termite whipped out something like a glowing cattle prod and zotzed Rhodey with it. He was falling, but it was ok, he had intermittent power and he was pogo-sticking, was gonna be cool. 

"No!" Iron Man shouted, and Rhodey diverted his attention to that idiot Omega, diving in between Rhodey and bug-man, whose weapon was glowing twice as bright, and presumably twice as powerful. Rhodey yelled something, but even he didn't hear it because the Hulk roared on his way past Rhodey. He smashed bug-man's termite's head clean off. Headless termites fly like squishy bricks. Bug-man was probably screaming all the way down, but Rhodey's ears were still ringing, so he wasn't sure. Anyway, he wasn't watching that. The Hulk grabbed Iron Man despite the repulsors and Tony's squirming, and forced him to land.

By the time Rhodey jockeyed the Patriot down to a disgusting landing atop a defunct termite, the Hulk had tucked Iron Man under one arm and was marching resolutely back to the Tower.

"Hey, Tones, you all right?"

Iron Man waved an arm. "Fine. Hey, big guy, Hulkster. You could put me down any time now."

The Hulk grumbled. "No. Not let little Tony get hurt. Go HOME. Banner make LUNCH. EAT LUNCH."

"Um," Iron Man said.

Rhodey had to walk back after the Hulk. It was harder than it should have been, because he had laughed so hard he hurt his belly muscles. 

Captain America ran up to Rhodey. He gestured at Iron Man and the Hulk. "Do you think that's safe?"

"Hell if I know," Rhodey said. He lifted up the faceplate on the helmet. "Not your business any more, is it?" It was a low blow; he knew it. But he didn't care. Captain America was his childhood hero, but Tony was his _friend._

"No, I guess not." 

Rhodey might have felt bad about the slump he'd put in Captain America's shoulders, but then the metal-armed guy came up, grinning, and slapped Cap on the back. Rhodey decided he'd just go order a ton of anchovy and pineapple pizza.


	33. PEPPER

"Tony."

"Um. Yeah, no. Uh huh." 

Pepper walked briskly up the length of the workshop, aiming straight at Tony's turned back. Bruce was next to Tony, but far more alert. He looked up, met her eyes, and faded discreetly over to another workstation. "TONY." Pepper slammed an armload full of paperwork onto the desk. 

"Yikes!" Tony jumped and turned around to look at her. "Oh, hi, Pep!"

Pepper folded her arms. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" 

"Tony."

"All right, stop with the EYES."

"I had to ask Rhodey what was going on when I saw the news. Captain America fighting Dr. Doom with his new sidekick yesterday." She tapped her foot. "And kissing him after the battle. This has been going on for two weeks, it said! I thought..." Pepper didn't want to say it, but she'd expected Tony and Steve to have been reunited two days ago. She'd been relaxed and happy, thinking that Tony had someone watching out for him.

"Captain America kissed Dr. Doom? Wow, that's really batting for the other team." Tony gave her his patented idiot look. She swatted him with some of the papers.

"You know what I meant!"

Tony shrugged. "Fury defrosted another super-soldier. Apparently there was a two-for-one sale at Gourmet Garage." Next he tried one of his 'publicity' grins on her. "Matched set, you know? If they had any more in common they'd be brothers which... well, that would be kinky." He shut up abruptly and waited for her reaction. 

"So, you don't want me to destroy Captain America?"

Tony winced. "No, it wouldn't be a fair fight. He never wears spike heels."

Pepper sighed and put her arms around Tony. "I got you those crab-apple jelly donuts."

"You're too good to me."

"I know." She leaned against Tony, ignoring the hard press of the reactor against her breasts. "I also brought you two months worth of paperwork from California so you can pay me back."

"Slavedriver." Tony smelled sharper than usual, less coconut and more the way he had scented before Afghanistan; bittersweet orange, she'd always 'read' him as. She had a better nose than Rhodey and she used to be able to judge the stage of Tony's cycle with one sniff. It had come in handy; she knew ahead of time when he'd be more obstinate, more restless, more reckless than usual. She knew when to keep a closer eye on the companions he chose for the night; when to smile and take them aside to tell them Tony's limits. Tony never wanted her to take care of him, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. 

He was always such a mess. She ruffled his hair and stepped back with a grin. "I told the Boy Scouts that Captain America would be _thrilled_ to give speeches on weekends. And gave them the number of his Starkphone. "

Tony grinned. "I love you for your evil."

"I know."

Bruce mysteriously reappeared with a fresh pot of coffee and three mugs. She was really glad he was here for Tony. "Thank you, Bruce," she said warmly. 

"Tony's coffee machines turn on at the word 'donuts', so it was nothing."

"I mean, thank you for taking care of Tony."

Tony coughed on a bite of donut. Bruce smiled and looked down, shyly. "He's not too bad. He doesn't chew my slippers or growl at the mailman."

"There's a mailman?" Tony asked around a gulp of coffee. He was looking a little brighter, Pepper was glad of that. She wished she'd come earlier. Rhodey was out of the country, and Steve was out of the question, so she'd need to keep a closer watch that Tony didn't do anything _particularly_ stupid.

"I meant," Pepper said patiently, "with... the bomb... and the crazy guy with the bugs... and Dr. Doom's robots." There were a lot of news reports showing the Hulk protecting Iron Man. It made her wish she could talk to him directly.

"Oh, well, I can't take the credit for that. The other guy... he does what he wants."

"He keeps calling me 'little Tony'," Tony grumbled. "I'm actually taller than _you_ , Bruce!" Tony poked Bruce in the ribs until he giggled and pushed another donut into Tony's hands.

"Just be glad he likes you, Tony!" Bruce told Pepper, "Thor has to watch out, because the other guy likes to punch him. I'm not sure whether he does it because he knows Thor can take it, or he just doesn't like him. He's not keen on Captain America, either, but so far he hasn't tried to hit him."

"No," Tony said quickly, "he's very good about listening to Steve when we're fighting. There's hardly any unnecessary incidental smashing these days."

"What about that bakery van?" Bruce asked.

"He got hungry. Who could blame him? He'd been punching out purple pterodactyls that day. It was no big deal, Bruce. I paid for the truck out of petty cash, and the company's using a photo of the Hulk noshing on one of their loaves of French bread for advertising."

"Yeah," Bruce said," 'Got a big appetite? Smash it with Bingley's Bread!' " He shook his head.

Pepper laughed.

***

Steve's friend opened the door on the 'Captain America' floor when Pepper leaned on the buzzer. He looked at her for a second, and then called back over his shoulder, "Steve, lady with a shovel."

Pepper raised her eyebrows. She walked past the Omega into Steve's living room. "Shovel?"

Steve straightened his shoulders. "Rhodey had given me 'the shovel talk' so I knew what it's called these days. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't plan to hurt Tony." 

Pepper nodded. "That's the only reason you're not up to your ass in alligators," Pepper said sweetly. "But you did hurt him, and I want to know what you intend to do about it."

"Do?" Steve's friend came up beside him. "What can Steve do? We were bonded before Stark was born. Hard luck for him, but it's not Steve's responsibility."

"Bucky, please," Steve said. "It is my responsibility. I accepted Tony as my Omega, when I knew I shouldn't. I knew I was broken, and he was broken, so how could putting us together be anything but wrong?"

"So that's why you left Tony, because he was broken?" Pepper was controlling her temper, really she was.

"No!" Steve looked at her, and she could see the honest misery in his face. "I left him because it was the only thing I _could_ do. Bucky needed me, too. And I could be with him, without getting all... cave-Alpha."

"So. You're saying that Bucky was the safer choice?" 

"I don't know. It just... it had been so long and Tony was always saying he was fine, he didn't need anyone. So we..."

"Reminisced," Bucky put in. "Brought out the memory album. Went over the yellowed clippings in the scrapbook."

"You're not helping," Steve said.

"What's to help? You're my Alpha, you always were. That's all there is to it."

"Things aren't always that cut and dried," Pepper said. "People are more flexible these days."

"Flexible?" Steve looked at her, and she could see the moment when the penny dropped. His cheeks reddened. "Oh. Some people used to do things like that in my day, too. But... not _respectable_ people."

"You know what? I think you're right, Tony doesn't need you," Pepper said. "He doesn't need someone who thinks being respectable matters more than keeping your word." 

"I didn't mean it that way! I just meant, it hadn't occurred to me." Steve glanced at Bucky. "We'd have to talk about. And would Tony be willing to join us?"

Pepper felt the slow burn rising through her chest. Steve would do it, he'd talk Bucky into it, and they'd earnestly offer to share with Tony, crumbs from their table. "No. I don't think so." She turned to leave. "He'll get over you, Steve. He's had bigger disappointments in his life. Just don't ruin the Avengers for him. He really needs that."

"I wouldn't," Steve called out, but she was halfway through the door and didn't bother to acknowledge him. The worst of it was, she couldn't blame Steve or Bucky. It would be nice to be able to label Bucky a homewrecker or Steve a heartless philanderer, but it wasn't true. Bucky wasn't smug, Steve wasn't happy to have dumped Tony. It was just a mess, and one she couldn't make right, no matter what she did.


	34. BUCKY

Steve said Tony wasn't a bad guy, and Bucky sorta wanted to believe it even though he had a sneaking suspicion Steve was still considering Pepper's suggestion for them to form ... what would you call it, a triangle? A pyramid? A tripod? He'd thought about it off and on since then, and after the original, 'Hell no!' he'd begun to wonder if maybe that was what Steve needed. _If_ I have to give one of you up, Steve had said. 'If'... He didn't like the idea. He'd be sharing Steve, and not just the sex, which really, if any Alpha could handle the needs of two Omegas, it'd be Steve... but he'd be sharing Steve's affection, too. Steve didn't say much, but he could tell when he was thinking about Stark. And damn it, Stark was fucking rich, a certified genius and a ballsy little son of a bitch who still had two warm human arms to put around Steve. What if Steve liked Stark better and Bucky had only got him because Steve was too horny to say 'I've moved on'?

What ifs were hell. On the other hand, he didn't want to think that Steve had been stuck with an asshole who didn't give a damn about him as a person, just saw him as a big, beautiful hunk of meat. Steve wasn't naive, but Stark was a playboy, he had to know how to put on a superficial coat of charming to get his own way. He couldn't judge by what Steve thought of the man, he'd need to watch for a while, catch Stark in unguarded moments before he decided what to do. If Stark really loved Steve the way Steve loved Stark, was Bucky right to keep them apart? It was hard to tell, though, because he never got to _see_ Tony. Oh, sure, _Iron Man_ showed up at all the crazy ass fights the Avengers had gone through in the last few weeks-- and what was it with New York City and the loonies wanting to take over the world?

He'd heard about Unit and alien creepazoids going after London, and then there was the affinity large, scaly things had for Tokyo, but by and large, he suspected his hometown attracted the most weirdos. Everyone and his slimy uncle seemed to put on flappy capes (no offense, Thor) and shiny jackboots and lead incredibly loyal, and equally incredibly stupid, and frequently goddamn _ugly_ , minions around smashing stuff at random.

He stretched and winced at the loud creak coming from his elbow joint. "Hey, Steve, pass me the WD-40, will ya?"

Steve looked out from the bathroom, steam leaking out the door. "I don't keep it in the bathroom, Buck!"

Bucky grinned, and then he moaned when his arm shifted too slowly and he had to step lively to balance it. Steve was there in an instant (no towel, yay), hand at his elbow, steadying him. 

"It's acting up again?"

"Yeah." Bucky scowled. "And I'm pretty sure it's out of warranty. Guess I'll have to go back to SHIELD for a tune-up." He hated to do it. That place reminded him of the weeks he spent as a prisoner on the helicarrier, trying to get out and murder someone, anyone at all, because a killing machine was all he was, his only purpose. He poked at the arm and it moved freely. "Ah, it's ok now. I'll just oil 'er up, and be good to go."

"You should ask Tony to look at it."

Bucky shrugged. "I don't want to owe him any favors."

Steve looked exasperated. "All the Avengers are already living on his dime. He says he gets a tax write-off."

"And you believe that?"

"No, I think he just wants us here." Steve sighed. "I know it's hard for you. We could move out, but really, it makes sense to have the team together and it's either Tony or SHIELD."

"It just feels... weird, you know? He's like the Phantom of the Tower. That guy can really hold a grudge."

"Pepper says this is how he gets over things. He holes up in his workshop." Steve looked guilty, and more, he smelled like it. Bucky had discovered all his senses had been enhanced by the serum. "She said he spent weeks in his shop after he escaped from Afghanistan. Wouldn't see a doctor or take care of himself properly." Steve looked pointedly at Bucky's arm. 

"Hey, he can cry in his expensive beer all he likes, but the bottom line is, he's a grown man and responsible for his own problems. He could have fought me for you. He wouldn't have won, but he could have tried. You know damn well I'd have fought for you."

Steve nodded. "And would that really have helped? Do you think I could have stood by and watched my two Omegas hurting each other because of me?"

"Oh, hell no, you don't go all Solomon on me and say he deserved the baby because he'd give you up rather than see you hurt. He just knew he didn't stand a chance."

"Maybe." Steve went over to the dresser and got the oil. "But you think about this, Bucky. If your arm malfunctions in battle, and you get killed because you were afraid you'd owe Tony, that'll hurt me real bad. Really bad."

Bucky took the oil and didn't say anything as Steve returned to the shower. He didn't have to say it, but if Bucky died, wouldn't Steve _have_ to go back to Tony, cap in hand, taking any crumbs he could get? And he would. Steve wouldn't let pride stand in the way of serving on the Avengers. Bucky heaved a deep sigh, and tossed the oil back on the dresser. "I'm going down into the catacombs. If you hear me hitting high notes, it won't be opera."

Steve stuck his head out from the door again and grinned. "Good man, Bucky. I knew you could do it."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. G'wan, you're getting wrinkly."

***

Bucky wasn't a coward, never had been. He hesitated outside the glass door of Stark's sanctum just because he didn't want to interrupt anything that might explode if annoyed. He didn't see Bruce anywhere around. That was good. He wasn't afraid of the Hulk, just... prudent. 

"Either come in, or go away, Barnes."

Bucky did _not_ jump when Stark spoke without looking up from whatever he was playing with; light shows and models of things he didn't believe even when he saw them working. "I didn't want to scare you," he said as he pushed the door open and went in. He paused. There was a funny smell. It tickled his nose, and seemed to mean something. But what?

Stark turned to Bucky. "Yeah, no, that's not gonna happen." He wiped his hands off on a cloth and tossed it aside. 

"You're glowing," Bucky blurted before he got control of his tongue. Jeez, that was such a stupid way to put it. The nuns had been working on him too many years for him to say 'you're knocked up'.

Stark glanced down at the blue light in his chest. "This old thing? As fashion statements go, it's a bit passé, but I'm attached to it." 

"Uh," Bucky said. Stark didn't know? How could he not know? Oh. Yeah. Steve said he told him that his cycles were fucked up and he was sterile. So, that wasn't true, but maybe Stark thought it was. And since Steve couldn't be the father... Bucky thought back to the Hulk cuddling Iron Man and Steve's shamefaced admission of his jealousy of Bruce. Bucky fought to keep the realization that Stark had betrayed Steve from showing on his face. "This is acting up." He straightened out his metal arm, which obliged by catching and creaking. It was a good distraction; Stark looked at the arm instead of his face.

"Huh. Let me check that out. Come here."

Bucky moved over to the bank of equipment Stark indicated. He was thinking hard and ignoring Stark's muttering and pottering and peering at the arm. He'd got used to technicians treating him like he was an awkwardly shaped holder for the arm. He automatically tuned out when people poked at it. Maybe he was wrong about the baby. After all, since his senses had got ramped up with the serum, he hadn't been around any pregnant people. Maybe he'd got confused because of Stark's weird scent. If he said anything and he was wrong, Stark would laugh at him and call him a baby-obsessed Omega.

He wasn't obsessed. It was just... he'd always assumed they'd have kids when the time was right, you know, when the war was over, when Steve had a good job so if pregnancy kept Bucky from working they'd still be able to give the kid everything it needed. Steve had agreed, he didn't want any kid of theirs to be messed up through poverty. Rich people thought being poor meant you had to do without luxuries. They didn't know it meant eating whatever cheap crap you could get, and doing without doctors or dentists or medicine or education because you had to leave school to get any kind of work you could to help your family survive. He and Steve, they were going to do right by any kid of theirs.

Only after the serum, Steve couldn't be a father. He'd been sad, but he cheered up when Bucky tentatively suggested asking another Alpha for help. Steve had said that if it was Bucky's, it would be his, too. And he really meant it. 

Steve said Tony was still his Omega. So. It wouldn't matter to Steve that Bruce was the father. Steve... would be so happy.

But... Stark wasn't young. And he wasn't healthy. And everyone in the Tower knew he took shit care of himself. Steve was always asking Jarvis to check that he'd eaten and slept. But Jarvis wasn't a doctor, just some kinda computer program Stark had made, so how could it know anything he didn't know? Bruce wasn't much of a doctor, either, in Bucky's opinion. He obviously hadn't noticed Stark's condition.

That was, his condition if Bucky was right. Stark wasn't showing. All he had to go on was instinct, Omega senses heightened by the super soldier serum. Fucking Omega instinct told him there was a pregnant Omega _in his family_. Shit. He just. He had to talk to Steve. This was so fucked up. On top of everything else, God knew what Bruce's contribution meant... could the baby Hulk out inside Stark? Or would it be sick? Even under the best conditions, with a young, fit male Omega under a doctor's care, taking prenatal vitamins and all, people often miscarried. They weren't as well designed to bear children as females, after all. What would it do to Steve if he thought of this baby as his, and it died? 

And fuck. Steve had told him that Stark had cried once... when he told Steve about losing a baby. Damn it, he didn't even want to _like_ Stark, and now he was in the position of worrying about him.

Stark poked and prodded at his arm for a while and then finally nodded. "Yeah, this is crap. I can do a quick fix, but you really need the entire arm replaced."

"You can't do that. It doesn't come off," Bucky said automatically.

"It went on, trust me, it'll come off." Stark did something at the shoulder and a panel opened. He reached in with something Bucky couldn't focus on because it was so close, and there was a *CLICK*. The arm immediately slid into a more natural resting position. "Take me a few days," Stark said as he snapped the panel closed again, "Come back and I'll give you an upgrade. Want any weaponry in there?"

"You can do that?"

"Sure. Whoever designed this had no imagination. I can James Bond an arm up the whazoo. You'll have fun. Be the life of the party." Stark gave him a cocky grin.

"Yeah. Thanks." Bucky wriggled the arm once and then nodded. "I'll have to think about putting a gun in my arm, though."

"Ok, fine. In the meantime I'll work up schematics for a basic version, but leave room for incorporating weaponry later. That it?"

"Oh, yeah." Bucky realized he was standing there like an idiot staring at Stark's belly.

Stark tapped on the blue glow in his chest. "You won't get one of these babies to power it, though. Sorry."

"That's fine by me." Bucky turned for the door. "Blue's not my color."

"Everyone's a critic."

Bucky took his time going back to Steve's floor.


	35. STEVE

Steve was idly sketching the view from one of his windows when he heard Bucky enter. He'd know Bucky's footsteps in his sleep. They sounded hesitant. "Bucky?" He put down the pad and stood up, turning to greet his Omega. The look on Bucky's face made him instantly tense. "What is it?"

"Stark," Bucky said.

"Did you have a fight with him?" Steve had hoped the two Omegas could reconcile, at least enough so that Tony would come out of seclusion and interact with the rest of the team.

"No, no, nothing like that. We were very polite. He fixed the arm. And he's promised to build me a better one."

"Well, that's great. Tony is a heck of an engineer, better than his old man." Steve tried to be cheerful, but Bucky still looked like he'd been sandbagged. "So, what's the problem?"

"Maybe we should sit down."

"Bucky." Steve was losing his patience.

"Ok, ok, I just don't want you running off half-cocked. Promise you'll hear me out before you do anything or make any decisions?"

Steve frowned. "All right, this sounds important. I'll listen."

Bucky nodded. "Um. You know how Stark and Banner are... together all the time? I think they're together together."

"What?" Steve shook his head. "You know, I think you were right, we should sit down. Maybe you'll make sense then." Steve led the way to the largest couch in their living quarters and sat. Bucky sat next to him. He could see Bucky's throat move as he swallowed. Whatever had him so upset, Steve resolved to be patient with him.

"I think that they're having sex. That they've been having sex for a while, probably before I got here."

Steve stared at Bucky. "No. I don't believe it. I know I was jealous, back when I was all hyped up, but that was just stupid." Steve thought a moment. "If Tony went to Bruce after I left him, well... I couldn't blame him."

"No, see." Bucky paused. "I think Tony's pregnant. I think Bruce knocked him up back when you were separated from him."

"What?" That was about the last thing Steve expected to hear. He was suddenly glad he was sitting down. "That's... no. That's impossible."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Who knows what the gamma stuff really did to Bruce? It makes him into a giant Alpha when he's angry, maybe it makes him super Alpha fertile when he's wound up. Maybe Tony doesn't cycle so you can tell, but still... I mean, he's not like me, he's still got the equipment. It might work some of the time."

"No, I don't mean that. I mean... Tony wouldn't... couldn't... keep that kind of secret from me. He... he's got a big mouth and hardly any self-control. If he cheated on me, he would have said so. Even if he didn't mean to."

"He couldn't even telephone you!"

"Tony Stark doesn't do quiet guilt. He'd have hired skywriters or sent me the ownership papers for the Dodgers with an apology or something."

"So. You can believe he's pregnant, but not that he had sex? That's crazy, Steve, he's not the Virgin Mary!"

Steve laughed. "I don't think he's pregnant either. Where did you get that idea?"

"I... I just..." Bucky tapped the side of his nose. "He smells like it. You know how good my nose is now."

"That's true." Bucky had sniffed out enemy patrols even Steve didn't know were around. He fought down the urge to leap up and confront Tony. "What did Tony say?"

"I don't think he knows. I said he was glowing and he just pointed at his light box."

Steve got up and started pacing in front of the couch. "You think he's carrying Bruce's child?"

"Yeah, that's what I've been saying."

"I don't think you're right, but if you're smelling something off about Tony he should be checked out by a doctor."

Bucky said softly, "And if I'm right?"

Steve stopped pacing and turned to face Bucky. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The important thing right now is finding out if Tony's sick. Maybe he _did_ get something from spending time with Bruce, but it's gamma poisoning, not a baby." Steve headed for the door. "Come on, Buck, we'll go talk to Tony, get this settled." In a strange way, Steve was relieved that Bucky had come up with a reason he couldn't avoid going to Tony. It would be good to see him. And of course, Bucky was wrong. Tony smelled weird as an aftereffect of the palladium poisoning, he always had. This would all be settled, and it would be a good ice-breaker. They'd laugh a little and then, since his isolation had been broken, Tony would start emerging from his den, and things would be better. Not perfect, because Steve still greedily wanted to have both his Omegas, but better.


	36. Chapter 36

"Sir, you have visitors," Jarvis announced. "Shall I admit them?"

"Huh." Tony wondered why Jarvis had suddenly decided to go all loyal retainer. Lately he'd been eager for people (as in Rhodey, Pepper, Bruce and Thor, mostly. Fury had sent Clint and Natasha off to 'Mysterious Place that Has No Name, Seriously If You Only Knew You Would Be Astonished', a couple weeks ago so Thor had been a bit mopey, and his lightning was fun, so eh, why not) to come in to annoy Tony. Sometimes Jarvis even sneaked them in bearing donuts or pizza. Then he turned and saw Steve and Bucky, standing just outside the glass door of his workshop. So, Bucky's little visit was some sort of exploratory foray into enemy territory. Wanted to check out the mood before exposing Steve to Tony. Ok, fine. He could handle it. Today was a good day; his stomach hadn't even been acting up. He was fine. He had no problems at all with Steve and Bucky. Steve-and-Bucky. "Sure, Jarvis." He left up the holo of the preliminary sketch for Bucky's arm. Maybe he was lucky, and Steve just wanted input on a team-member's equipment.

"Tony," Steve said without preamble, "Bucky thinks you should see a doctor."

"Huh," Tony said again. "People have been telling me that for years."

Steve didn't roll his eyes or sigh. He just looked steadily at Tony. "I think he's right. Your scent is off. Bucky's nose is better than mine, but I can tell something's different about you."

"I've switched to decaf," Tony said. Steve and Bucky both continued to stare at him. "Seriously? Look, I'm fine." Tony was annoyed. Did Bucky think that Tony was a liability, likely to get Steve killed? Was that why he'd been so focused on the arc reactor?

Bucky cleared his throat. Tony peered at him. "Wow, you're blushing. I didn't know you could even _do_ that. What, did you stumble across the Tony Stark YouTube database? Don't be embarrassed about your feelings of inadequacy after viewing them. Happens to a lot of people."

"Stark," Bucky said, and now Tony was fairly sure the color in his cheeks was from anger. "This isn't a joke. You need to get checked by a doctor. Now."

"Uh huh. No, I don't think so." Tony wasn't letting some quack diagnose him with an ulcer or gluten intolerance or something and get him benched. But... Rhodey had been helping out the Avengers since the Air Force had to let him stay near his Omega and no one was willing to let Loki off the helicarrier. So... did they really need Iron Man? Rhodey was all military discipline and salutes. Steve fucking LOVED that and so did Fury. And Bucky would probably breathe easier if Iron Man wasn't flying over his head during battles. "My body, my decision. No."

"It's not just your body," Bucky blurted out. "You're pregnant! You've gotta take care of yourself for Bruce's kid!"

Tony actually felt his jaw drop. "What? What the... there are so many things wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin. You're the one who ought to see a doctor!"

Steve said, "Look, Bucky shouldn't have said that, but you do need to..."

Bucky interrupted him. "Call me names, I don't care, but you can't just ignore this and hope it'll go away."

Tony glared at Bucky. "In the first place, Bruce is my friend. Friend. Got that? He's a fucking honorable man who wouldn't have interfered with my bond with Steve even if I'd begged him on my knees. In the second place, believe it or not, I can keep it in my pants and I did. The only person I've had sex with in the last year was Steve." He didn't look at Steve. "And in the third place, I can't have children!"

"Neither can I," Steve said, quietly. "I should have told you. I can't father children. I bonded with you under false pretenses."

"Great, well, that's all out in the open. Two sterile people had sex. Therefore there is no child. Therefore you can clear out of my workshop." Tony wanted to throw something at Bucky, and possibly at Steve, too.

Steve glanced at Bucky, and Tony kinda hated Bucky in that moment, because he could see Steve asking a silent question and Bucky giving him an answer. It wasn't right. Tony shouldn't always be on the outside looking in, like the poor kids in all the Christmas movies, noses pressed to the glass at all the happiness they couldn't have. "Tony," Steve said, "How about we ask Bruce to run a few tests? You don't even have to leave your shop."

Tony opened his mouth to say that he didn't need any concessions, that he had no problem going anywhere in the whole world, and then he thought again. Steve had Bucky on his side, Tony should have Bruce. "Fine. Jarvis! Please ask Bruce to join us."

Tony filed the cyber-arm design before he gave in to the impulse to do something childish, like give it a 'shoot the bird' reflex whenever Bucky tried to salute. Granted, he didn't salute as often as Rhodey, but it still would be fun. Fortunately, Bruce showed up before Tony's impulse won out over his common sense. He had some. He just didn't believe in indulging it very often.

"BRUCE! My lovely baby-daddy, come here and give me a kiss!" Tony held his arms out wide.

Bruce stopped. "What? Tony, I've asked you not to eat my special brownies."

"Bucky has convinced Steve that you've put a bun in my oven. Apparently they can smell it baking."

Bruce took off his eyeglasses, wiped them, and put them back on. "Uh huh. I know I tend to lose track of time in the lab, Tony, but surely it's too soon for April Fool's."

"Good point!" Tony finger-gunned Bruce. "But no, they're serious, and they won't let me go back to work until you can tell them my manly aroma is no cause for concern."

Steve said, "Tony smells like he's pregnant, but he can't be."

"Oh." Bruce looked serious. "There are some diseases that will mimic the hormonal changes of pregnancy. Dogs have been trained to detect... um...other things... by scent, so I couldn't rule it out as a diagnostic tool. We really should investigate this, Tony."

"Really? That's a thing? You can have people throwing you a baby shower because you need a real shower? B.O. means baby odor?" Tony didn't think Bruce would get in on the joke. If it was a joke. Bruce was a fantastic troll, but he knew what was funny, and what would hurt, and he never stepped over the line. This would be way over.

"It's... well, it's possible it could be something serious, better caught before you have any symptoms." Bruce was absolutely without the slightest hint of amusement. "Really. I can run a few simple tests right now, and see if further investigation is called for."

"This is ridiculous."

"Urine and blood samples to start. If they check out clean..."

"And they will!" Tony had only had one coffee today, and he couldn't remember when he last had booze. Not that Bruce would be testing for that. "Whatever."

Bruce rummaged in the section of Tony's workspace that had been gradually filling up with biology stuff. Tony knew enough to make blood test devices for palladium poisoning, but he wasn't a doctor. Bruce wasn't an officially certified medical doctor, either, but he'd had a hell of an incentive to learn once he started sharing skin with the Hulk.

"Ok," Bruce returned with a hypo and a sample jar. "Blood first and then..."

"Yeah, I got it." Tony tried to pretend Steve and Bucky weren't hovering in the background while Bruce drew the blood. He accepted the tiny bandage dot without making a face, and snatched up the jar. "This is actually disgusting."

Bruce was walking away with the blood. Over his shoulder he said, "In some parts of Africa herdsmen wash themselves with cow urine. While the cow is..."

"Thank you for sharing that National Geographic moment, Bruce!" Tony said loudly. Bruce was such a troll. And the worst of it was, if Tony checked, it would probably turn out to be true. He went into the small workshop toilet and determinedly did not think of cows peeing on him. 

"Here." Tony said as he put the capped container down on Bruce's lab bench a couple of minutes later. Steve and Bucky had stayed at the far end of the room, near the door. He leaned in to look over Bruce's shoulder. "Really? Cows?"

"Uh huh." Bruce continued what he was doing, which looked more fiddly than the average pregnancy test. Not that Tony had much experience with them, beyond a few encounters with lawyers hoping the condom had sprung a leak and the mommas had a million dollar baby. No such luck.

"Huh." Bruce made a few notes on a card, and then put the urine sample in another machine. Tony didn't know what it did, and he'd bought the thing.

"Was that a good 'huh' or a bad 'huh'?"

"It was a 'huh', 'huh'." Bruce got another wrapped hypo from the jar he kept on his desk, where a sensible person would have pens, or candy. 

"Again?"

"It's not science if it can't be replicated," Bruce said solemnly. 

Tony held out his arm. "You're just humoring Steve because he looks good in that uniform."

"You've got me," Bruce replied as he siphoned off another few ccs of Stark. "I just go all ga-ga over an Alpha in uniform. Brings out the beast in me."

"I knew it," Tony said. 

Bruce gave him another dot for his inner elbow. Tony looked down at it and frowned. Bruce noticed and said, "What?"

"I was just thinking. What do you call this?" He pointed to his arm. "It's not your elbow. Inbow? Upbow?"

Bruce sighed. "Cubital fossa, or elbow pit." He stuck the blood into one machine and then meandered over to the one that had eaten Tony's urine sample.

"Where did you pick that up?"

"I read a lot." Bruce didn't look at Tony as he got readings from the machine and neatly added writing to the card with the previous notes. "Um..." He opened a drawer and got out another sample container. 

"You're kidding."

Bruce patted him on the back. "Nope."

Tony shook his head, but obliged. The good part about all this was that he could see Steve and Bucky fidgeting. Tony wasn't worried, not at all. Except for the delicate stomach, which had got a lot better once he cut back on coffee and a few other things. He felt fine. He wasn't sick.

***

"No. No fucking way," Tony said, crossing his bandaged arms with his fingers protectively covering his abused cubital fossas. Fossae? 

"The results are the same each time. Your hormone levels... well... there's only two things I know of that will give those readings on a male Omega. Pregnancy is one. Testicular cancer is the other." Bruce stood close to Tony and spoke so softly they could pretend that the super soldiers couldn't hear.

Tony resisted the urge to move his hands to protect something else. "Ok, well... we must have caught it early, right? No symptoms? I'll just go get it taken care of. No big deal." Tony was a survivor. Even if they had to take both his boys, he'd get hormone therapy and still be Tony Stark. It just... he really wasn't looking forward to surgery. Even though he knew it wouldn't be like Afghanistan. It'd be clean and well lit, and people would be polite; no one would be screaming at him in incomprehensible tongues while they held him down and the knife cut in... Tony bolted for the toilet.

***

He heard them talking, Steve and Bruce and Bucky, but he couldn't make out the words over the noises he was making even after his stomach was empty. Finally he washed up, straightened up, put on his game face and strutted out of the toilet. "Ok, that was a thing. No problem. I'll go take care of it." Tony headed for the exit.

"Tony!" Steve had the Captain America snap in his voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

Against his will, Tony stopped and turned to face the others. "Nearest hospital. Get the ball rolling. So to speak. Possibly that's a poor choice of words."

Bruce said, "I'm getting my coat." He walked away without adding anything. He didn't need to, Tony already knew how stubborn he was.

"What about SHIELD's doctors?" Steve asked.

Tony gave him a look. "And let Fury near my arc reactor? Barnes didn't even want them looking at his arm." 

Bucky nodded and after a moment, Steve sighed. "Yeah, the man has agendas. All right. Bucky, get our coats."

"Wait, wait," Tony said, "Bruce, ok, he can read the medicalese and translate it for me, but why are you two coming along?"

Steve didn't bother looking at Bucky this time. "Because you're my Omega, and Bucky is your family, too."

"Yeah," Bucky said, and then looked surprised. He shrugged and repeated it. "Yeah."

For a moment that stumped Tony. Then he shrugged. "Whatever." It was like hearing his father claim him for his greatest creation when he was dying and he simply couldn't process it. At the moment he was all caught up in figuring odds on survival, and on what loose ends he might have to tie up in case he didn't win the dice throw this time. Later maybe he'd have the energy to let their words sink in. "Jarvis, have Happy bring the limo. We'll need the extra leg room."

***

"New York Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell," Pepper was saying into her phone when they arrived at the garage. "Or Mount Sinai, possibly Sloan-Kettering," she said briskly. "Yes, Rhodey, I'll let you know." She snapped her phone shut and marched over to the limo where Happy was holding the door open.

"Um," Bruce said. 

"Get in, Tony," Pepper said. 

"You look upset," Tony said as he slid in next to her.

"I'm not upset." Pepper moved over and stared straight ahead. "Jarvis told me what Bruce said. I'm sure you're fine. I'm just going along to tell them your social security number. You don't remember it, do you?"

"Ah." Tony looked around for support at the other Avengers who were settling down in the other seats. "Possibly? It's got... a five."

Pepper turned her head then to look at Steve and the others. Tony saw her flex her shoulders and narrow her eyes. "I've been taking care of Tony for a long time. No one is cutting me out of the loop." She actually growled at the end of her statement. Steve put his chin up reflexively, and equally reflexively, Bruce shrank down. Bucky looked confused.

"Wait! It's ok," Tony said, "We're all one big happy family. No one gets to kill anyone in the car. Right, Happy?"

"Right, boss," Happy said as he tooled the huge car casually through gaps in traffic that looked far too small. "It's bad for the upholstery."

***

Tony wasn't sure what did it, whether it was his money, Captain America's stern face, or Pepper's wiles, but they were barely through the doors before they were whisked away to a large examination room with a curtained area in the center, where Tony was briskly ordered to strip to the skin and change into a laughably inadequate paper gown. He obeyed while watching the shadows of the others on the curtain and listening to Bruce and Pepper crisply give details about his medical history that _he_ didn't remember. And yeah, they wanted his social security number up front. He sat on the paper covered vinyl examination table and shivered.

***

Hours went by in a daze, as far as Tony was concerned. Doctors introduced themselves and shook hands, and then got far more intimate with him than he appreciated. They took samples of everything except his toenails, and Tony was afraid to mention that in case it was an oversight. There were whispered consultations. Pepper had a briefcase full of papers that seemed to serve as magic tokens. At least every time a doctor tried to delay things for 'another visit' she'd whip out whatever they needed to go onto the next step in the plan 'totally humiliate Tony Stark'. He was grateful, he really was, he wanted to get the initial dull misery over with in one lump sum, if at all possible, but it had been going on for so long. Finally he stood up and pretended not to notice the wind whistling around his rear end and creeping up under the torn and crumpled paper. "I'm just going to go hit the john," he announced, heading for the room he'd seen Steve use early on in the inquisition.

"Do you feel the need to empty your bladder?" the nurse Tony had privately nicknamed 'Shezilla' rumbled at him, pausing in the act of making more hieroglyphics on the volume of notes which were heading towards trilogy status.

"That was kinda my plan, yes."

"Excellent!" She snapped the notes into a binder. "Step this way."

"I want..."

"No."

Tony looked at his 'family' in appeal. The traitors pointed at the receding block-like back of 'Shezilla'. Tony trudged after her, having to walk in stupid mincing steps to keep his paper footies from slipping.

***

"Lie down here, Mr. Stark."

Tony sighed and obeyed. The nurse grabbed something, lifted the hem of his gown and swabbed his belly with something cold and disgusting. "Yikes! You could warn a person!"

"The gel will be cold, Mr. Stark," Shezilla said, with an equally chilling smile. "The technician will be with you presently."

"I mean warn me FIRST!" Tony yelled as she departed. Then he lay back and looked around. The room was eggshell blue, floor, walls and ceiling. The various torture machines were snowy white, accented by lots of glass and chrome. There was a white rolling chair, presumably for the technician. There were also half a dozen more comfortable looking chairs lined up facing a monitor that was turned on but currently showing nothing except a rolling blue bar of static. It was the most boring room Tony had ever been in, and there was nothing to distract him from the NEED TO PEE.

By the time the technician showed up Tony had seriously considered sneaking off to find a toilet, and simply keeping going, ripped paper gown and all. Wouldn't be the first time the world had seen his bare ass. "And how are we today, Mr. Stark?" she chirped cheerfully.

"I don't know about you, but I'd kill for a toilet."

"Great!" she chirped again. "Your family has requested to be here with you for this. Is that all right with you, Mr. Stark?"

"Sure, fine. And then can I pee?"

"As soon as the test is complete," she... yes, chirped a third time. Shezilla was looking better all the time in comparison. She pressed a button. "You may come in now and observe."

Bruce, Pepper, Steve and Bucky filed in and took their seats. Chirpy tilted a small monitor towards the examination table. "Can you see it clearly, Mr. Stark?"

"Yeah, sure." Tony was slightly interested. This would be the first test where they'd let him see any of the results.

The technician picked up something like a massage wand and slipped it under his gown and onto his belly. She was pretty good at that, he decided. She managed it professionally, without causing any embarrassing physical reaction. Then she pressed down, firmly. He opened his mouth to complain, because HEY, that's no fun on a full bladder, but the image on the monitor caught his eye. "What is that?" It was very little, which cheered him. If you've got a cancer, a tiny one is the best kind, even it's sitting in the middle of... your... heterus...

"Who is that, you mean," Bruce said cheerfully. Tony glanced at Bruce, who was grinning like an idiot and holding Pepper's hand so tight his fingers were white. And she was grinning just as brightly. Bucky and Steve were looking shell-shocked.

"Oh!" Chirpy said, "Who are they!"

Tony's head snapped back and he stared at the second tiny... human nestled inside him. "Jesus," he said softly.

***

After that, they let Tony pee and get dressed before an Omega obstetrician, well, he was an Alpha, but specialized in Omegas, showed up to look at the ultrasound and discuss... things. The man was a silver-haired, dignified fellow the size of Happy, but possessing long, slender hands, which he used to gesture at charts and diagrams frequently.

"The combination of Mr. Stark's medical history, age, that he's a primigravido, and the fact that there are twins does mean this pregnancy will require close monitoring." He smiled at Tony, beamed like a doting grandfather. "Don't let that discourage you, all the tests have been exceptionally favorable, and I'm cautiously optimistic at this point. At ten weeks, there's really not too much more I can..."

"Wait," Steve said. "Ten weeks? That's..."

Tony tilted his head and gave Steve a look. "Yeah." He was a little hurt that Steve still suspected he'd been cheating on him, but he had to remember that ten weeks ago they were inseparable... a lot of the time quite literally. And certainly Tony wasn't out of Steve's sight for more than five minutes that whole week.

The doctor looked back and forth at them, no doubt realizing the importance of this fact. "We can be absolutely sure of this. The crown rump length measurement in the first trimester, before the baby can curl up or stretch out, is extremely accurate. Three centimeters means they are ten weeks from conception. There's no doubt in my mind."

"But..." Steve said, "I was told I was sterile."

Tony shrugged. "So was I. Obviously they meant 'not very fertile' and we got lucky."

"I don't have access to Mr. Rogers' medical records, but after looking at Mr. Stark's I believe 'sterile' was a medically accurate description for him," the doctor said. "His low sperm motility, plus abnormally dense ova cell membrane, reduce the chances of conception in either Omega mode as mother or father until it statistically approaches zero. I find it remarkable that at least two sperm managed to break through the barriers to produce fraternal twins. They must have been extraordinarily energetic."

"Oh." Steve pinked around the ears. "Well, I guess that makes sense. They were aiming for the ultimate in human development. I guess that included... that."

"So," Tony asked, curious, "if you have perfect little soldiers, then why did you think they couldn't do the trick?"

Bucky spoke up for the first time. "Because they were too perfect. Too fast. The docs said they swam themselves to death before they reached the target. Ran out of energy. Starved to death? Something like that."

Tony blinked and he had a vivid memory of his and Steve's first time. Steve looked at him, and Tony felt that he knew exactly what was going through Steve's mind. "Ooze?" Tony said softly. "That might slow them down."

"Fantastic stuff, " Steve replied. His eyes were very bright, and for a moment Tony thought he might cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically, Tony's not a primigravido (and the actual word for a first time pregnant woman is 'primigravida' but since Tony's a man I changed the word ending). Steve is the only one he told about Yinsen and their baby so the doctor doesn't know Tony had been briefly, and unsuccessfully, pregnant once before.


	37. BUCKY

He was happy. Really he was. Steve was going to be an honest-to-god father. And from the sound of it, Stark was the only Omega who Steve _could_ impregnate, whatever 'ooze' meant between the two of them, so maybe they'd even try again. Fill up the Tower with rugrats. He was thrilled. He should go home and bake a fucking cake.

He couldn't even be angry at Stark. The guy was looking at Steve as if he'd pulled the stars from the sky and given them to him in a bouquet tied up in ribbon. If that wasn't true love... well, it wasn't chopped cabbage, either. The doctor droned on, but Bucky was pretty sure most of his audience wasn't listening to him. He sure wasn't, and Steve and... might as well call him Tony... were wrapped up in each other's eyes. Pepper and Bruce were asking questions and taking notes, so that was being taken care of, and all Bucky had to do was make sure he didn't act like an asshole.

He wanted this to work out. He wanted to see Steve with his babies. He just couldn't help feeling like a third wheel. He was lost in his thoughts and didn't notice at first that everyone else was standing up and shaking hands with the doctor until Steve laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Buck, fell asleep there?" Steve was hovering beside Tony, and the two of them were looking at him with mild concern.

"Yeah." Bucky got up and stretched. "I think they put something in the air in hospitals." He faked a big yawn and glanced around. Pepper and Bruce were conferring in quiet tones near the door and the doctor had already left the room. "So, we're done?"

"Yep," Stark... Tony said. He grinned and bounced, toe to heel and back again. "So, did you decide to let me amp up your armament?"

"Huh. Oh, yeah..." Bucky shrugged. "I guess. If you're not too busy."

"Pepper and Bruce are already threatening me with absolute boredom for the foreseeable future, plenty of rest, fresh fruit, and no missions." He made a face. "I'm going to need a lot of in-house projects to keep me occupied or I'll go crazy." Tony looked at Bucky, all wide-eyed and hopeful. 

He suddenly realized that Tony was just as uncertain about being accepted as he was. And y'know, he was kinda cute. This might work out after all. He smiled and slapped Tony on the shoulder. Steve gave him a warning look, but Tony relaxed and grinned back at him. "You know, Tony, you're not half bad for a stuck up shrimp."

Tony laughed out loud.

***

Pepper had been keeping Happy informed, so they emerged from the hospital to find the limo waiting. Happy was smiling broadly as he held the door open for Tony and the others. Pepper grinned and gave Happy a kiss before she went around the car to get into the front with Happy. Happy twisted around when everyone was seated and told Tony, "Maybe I should take a detour, sir. Some of the direct roads are a little bumpy."

Tony huffed. "I'm pregnant, not porcelain. Go for the bumps, Happy."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Stark," Happy said cheerfully, turning back and putting the car in motion.

***

"Coffee," Tony said as the group, minus Happy, got into the elevator. "Jarvis, put the pot on."

"No, Jarvis," Pepper said firmly.

"The doctor said up to 200 milligrams of caffeine daily would be fine! That's two cups, and I've only had one today," Tony said as the elevator rose.

"Tony," Steve said, "The doctor said that was the maximum they recommend. And you know..."

"Yeah, yeah. High risk." Tony leaned his forehead against the steel wall. "Jarvis, they're right." He waved a hand. "I give you permission to bully me on doctor's orders." He made a whining noise. "No sushi. No saki. No Starbucks."

"You don't even _like_ Starbucks," Pepper pointed out.

"Alliteration! I couldn't think of any coffee that starts with S."

"Sanka?" Bruce offered. He looked amused by Tony's antics. Bucky figured he'd better ask Bruce for tips on not letting Tony get to him.

"That's decaffeinated. It's not coffee without caffeine," Tony protested. "It's brown water."

"Tony." Steve put an arm around him, and Tony shut up. Bucky was impressed. "Go ahead and complain all you want. I know you won't do anything to risk our children's lives."

Tony made a whining noise and buried his face against Steve's chest. Bucky heard him mumble something that sounded like, "You're evil, Steve."

***

"We're going to have to tell Fury," Steve said when they (minus Happy and Pepper, who Bucky suspected were off trying to compete with Tony by making a baby of their own) were sitting in the Avengers' main common room half an hour later, watching a movie with Bruce when Natasha walked in on them in time to overhear his remark.

"He knows," she said. "Fury knows everything. Tony, catch," she said and tossed something small and brightly colored at him, where he sat between Steve and Bucky. Their hands met on the object, catching it before Tony could react.

Natasha smirked. "Relax. It's just something I thought was appropriate." She sat next to Bruce and picked up a Jujube from the boxes of assorted movie junk food on the table out of Tony's absentminded reach. In front of him there was a bowl of fruit (washed squeaky clean and certified organic, which Bucky still didn't know what it meant), a raspberry yogurt cup and a glass of water.

"Oh," Steve said and let Bucky have the object, which turned out to be a little wooden doll. He knew what it was, although he didn't remember when he first saw one.

"It's a matryoshka doll. They nest," he told Tony as he handed it to him.

"Huh." Tony took the little doll apart, disassembling it until there were seven progressively smaller doll boxes on the table, down to a tiny solidly carved baby. It wasn't new. The paint was faded around the joins, and on the faces, as if someone had cherished it for years, and touched it many times. "Oh," Tony looked up at Natasha. "Thanks." He didn't get emotional, but he reassembled the dolls carefully, meticulously lining up the gilt and paint lines of their clothing. "I'll take good care of it."

Natasha shrugged. "It's yours. Do what you want with it." She curled up and relaxed against Bruce.

It had been Jarvis's turn to choose the movie and Bucky was trying to figure out why it was 'Tron'. Maybe there was some kind of message in that. Or Jarvis could be fucking with their heads. Bucky just knew there was a real person behind the smart-ass. He respected Jarvis, and not just because it had the power to make him miserable in petty ways, like it did when he first arrived. Ice-cold showers, ear-splitting wake up calls... yeah, he was glad he was now on Jarvis' good side. It made life so much more comfortable. He stretched his live arm past Tony's lap to reach the popcorn bowl Steve was holding.

Bucky thought Tony was a lot more cuddly than a grown man had any right to be. They hadn't got any further than _cuddling_ together, and probably wouldn't for a while as the bond settled into its new configuration, which was more about protecting their babies than anything else right now. Sex, yeah, they'd get around to it, and it would be good, but for now, slow, lazy kisses, and touching each other all over, getting to know their bondmates right down to the bones. That. That was really good. Satisfying something Bucky hadn't known he'd wanted for so long. They'd gone straight to Steve's floor and all three of them explored each other for an hour before they were settled enough to get dressed and come out to be sociable. Steve insisted. He didn't want the team to feel that they were pulling away from them, and Bucky supposed that was a sensible idea. He didn't mind. The Avengers were family, too.

"So, if you're back, Robin Hood is around," Tony said.

Natasha nodded and picked through the jujubes for a red one. "He went to Thor's level."

Tony blinked. "Did anyone tell Thor? About..." He made a vague gesture at his mid-section.

Natasha chewed thoughtfully on her jujube, but before she could answer the question, Thor strode into the room and plopped down on the end of the couch, dragging a slightly mussed Clint with him. "It needed not that you should consult with others, friend Tony," Thor said, using what he fondly thought of as his 'indoor voice'.

"What?" Tony asked.

Thor plucked a pear from Tony's fruit basket and sank his teeth into it. "Did I not tell you the outcome would be good? Did I not bless the fruitfulness of your union?" Thor put on a pouty face.

"You what?" Tony asked. Blank confusion was a good look on him.

Thor glanced down the couch until his eyes met Bruce's. "Your green soul-sharer knew that Tony was with child. Did you not all know?" Thor drew himself up proudly. "Never has my blessing failed!"

Bruce blinked. "Huh. 'Little Tony'? That's... ok."

"Blessing?" Tony repeated. Bucky thought his eyes were glazing over. He waved a hand in front of him, and Tony snapped out of it. "No, see, there was no magic involved. It was all science!"

Thor shrugged. "My blessings are Asgardian science, not magic." He grinned brightly. "It is a sufficiently advanced technology, Tony."

"Did you just quote Clarke's Third Law at me? You did! Thor, you've been playing dumb blond!" Tony pointed an accusing finger at him, and Thor laughed.

"As our friend Steve would say, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck."

Steve winced. "I would not say that, Thor, you know I wouldn't."

Clint rubbed the back of Thor's neck. "I like the way you talk, Thor, it's sexy."

"Verily!" Thor kissed Clint thoroughly. Very thoroughly. 

Tony said, "Since Fury can't sneeze without Coulson handing him a hanky, he'll have found out, too. The only one in the dark is Rhodey, then." Pepper for once in her perfectly organized life had forgot to follow up on a promise and instead of calling Rhodey and filling him in, she'd grabbed Happy and took him off to her floor to celebrate. Bucky hadn't wanted to take the time to call him either. He felt a tiny bit guilty about that. Very, very tiny. He and Steve and Tony needed the time together.

"Nay, he has been informed long ago."

"No," Tony said, "there's no way Rhodey could have known and not said something to me."

"I told my brother in the course of chastising him for his actions after the battle on Fury's skyship. I'm sure he would... well..." Thor got a thoughtful look. "As he and his Alpha were attempting to create a child of their own, it may have slipped his mind. I shall remind Loki when next we meet."

"And when is that going to be?" Not that Bucky cared, but this conversation had more relevance to him than the movie nattering along in the background. It looked like everyone was going to be popping out babies all over the place, and he suspected the villains would try to take advantage. He flexed his metal arm and decided there was no such thing as being too heavily armed. If Tony could cram a howitzer in there, he'd take it. No one was going to mess with Bucky's family and get away with it.

"Soon." Thor sighed. "Although Loki now sincerely repents his actions, what has been done cannot be undone. Much was destroyed; many were injured." He looked grim. "Some died because of my brother, and far more were threatened. Odin has decreed that he shall allow the Midgardian authorities to mete out what justice they deem appropriate- save only that they must remember he is still, and always will be, a Prince of Asgard." Thor munched on his pear. "And that his and Colonel Rhodes child will be in the line of succession to the throne." Thor looked thoughtful. "Perhaps were-gild will help? Asgard has much to offer, in apology and reparations, as one would at the end of a war. It was an undeclared war, but Odin may see it as Asgard's responsibility. No decision has been made as yet. It is difficult to be fair to all sides."

Everyone had been staring at Thor. He finished the pear in two more bites and flung the core over his shoulder. "Another!"

Bucky leaned back against the couch and smiled. You know, this was the weirdest family ever. But he wouldn't trade any of them for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Bonding and fertility are both hugely important to Alphas and Omegas. Bonding gives the bonded mates emotional stability and ambition and powerful drives to protect/possess their mates and children. It's socially learned behavior as well as biologically driven which can cause problems when the Alpha 'caveman' instinct clashes with social standards to behave like a civilized, considerate person. 
> 
> The Omegas' instinct is to appease the Alpha, and this instinct is greatly strengthened when pregnant as a holdover survival trait from primitive times. Even the most forward thinking, modern Omega will find themselves with an entirely different outlook when bearing and be content so long as they are able to stay with their mate even under circumstances that would have seemed intolerable otherwise. 
> 
> It is possible for a non-bearing Omega to 'shift' to an Alpha mode mentally, and serve as a protector/mate to a bearing Omega. This is uncommon in civilized society, however.
> 
>  
> 
> Now for the reason I put this here: the commenters who hated this fic hate that Steve cheated on Tony and dumped him for his previous bondmate Bucky. They hate that Tony accepted this. They hate that Tony's pregnancy got Steve and Bucky to bond with him and Tony was happy to accept it. They hate that I didn't spend another month writing all the gradual acceptance, reasons for everything. They hate that Tony didn't kick Steve out... in general, a lot of hating. So, you know, none of this encourages me to change anything in the fic. It stands. People who ASK me to change something because it upsets them WITHOUT saying it's wrong/ terrible/ can't be allowed, etc. stand a good chance of getting me to agree. But this... no. This is not constructive criticism. This is not 'helping me grow as a writer'. This is not 'improving' the story. This is shutting me down by shouting. 
> 
> So, read it or don't. If you write hate comments, I'll delete them. It's just making me feel ill.


End file.
